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WetlandCavity nestSmall · 16 g
ID tip
It is a small kingfisher, around 13 cm (5.1 in) in length. In Southern Africa, the reference size is 14cm and in East Africa and Ethiopia, 12cm. The general color of the upper parts of the adult bird is bright metallic blue. The head has a short crest of black and blue feathers, which gives rise to the scientific name. The face, cheeks, and underparts are rufous and there are white patches on the throat and rear neck sides. The bill is black in young birds and reddish-orange in adults; the legs are bright red. Sexes are similar, but juveniles are a duller version of the adult.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Malachite Kingfisher
One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is November, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Malachite Kingfisher
The map shades 43 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
About the Malachite Kingfisher
The malachite kingfisher is a river kingfisher which is widely distributed in Africa south of the Sahara. It is largely resident except for seasonal climate-related movements.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
Malagasy KingfisherCorythornis vintsioidesThe Malagasy kingfisher or Madagascar kingfisher is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae that is found in Madagascar, Mayotte and the Comoros.
Madagascar Pygmy KingfisherCorythornis madagascariensisThe Madagascar pygmy kingfisher is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae.
White-bellied KingfisherCorythornis leucogasterThe white-bellied kingfisher is a species of kingfisher in the subfamily Alcedininae that occurs in Mali and throughout the African tropical rainforest.
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