Woodland Kingfisher
Halcyon senegalensis
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCoraciiformes (Rollers, Kingfishers, and Allies)
- FamilyAlcedinidae (Kingfishers)
- GenusHalcyon (Typical Woodland Kingfishers)
- SpeciesHalcyon senegalensis (Woodland Kingfisher)
About the Woodland Kingfisher
The woodland kingfisher (Halcyon senegalensis) is a tree kingfisher that is widely distributed in Africa south of the Sahara. The Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus included the woodland kingfisher with the binomial name Alcedo senegalensis in the twelfth edition of his Systema Naturae which was published in 1766. Linnaeus based his formal description on "Le Grand Martin-Pescher du Sénégal" that the French naturalist Mathurin Jacques Brisson had described and illustrated in 1760. The current genus Halcyon was introduced by the English naturalist and artist William Swainson in 1821, with the woodland kingfisher as the type species.
Three subspecies are recognised: H. s. fuscopileus Reichenow, 1906 – Sierra Leone to south Nigeria and south to DR Congo and north Angola H. s. senegalensis (Linnaeus, 1766) – Senegal and Gambia to Ethiopia and north Tanzania
H. s. cyanoleuca (Vieillot, 1818) – south Angola and west Tanzania to South Africa This is a medium-sized kingfisher, 23 cm (9.1 in) in length. The adult has a bright blue back, wing panel and tail. Its head, neck and underparts are white, and its shoulders are black. The flight of the woodland kingfisher... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Woodland Kingfisher in Lower Zambezi National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Lower Zambezi National Park
Brown-hooded Kingfisher
Halcyon albiventris
Gray-headed Kingfisher
Halcyon leucocephala
Striped Kingfisher
Halcyon chelicuti
Pied Kingfisher
Ceryle rudis
Giant Kingfisher
Megaceryle maxima
Half-collared Kingfisher
Alcedo semitorquata
Malachite Kingfisher
Corythornis cristatus
African Pygmy-Kingfisher
Ispidina picta
White-fronted Bee-eater
Merops bullockoides
Lilac-breasted Roller
Coracias caudatus
Little Bee-eater
Merops pusillus
Southern Carmine Bee-eater
Merops nubicoides
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Woodland Kingfisher in Lower Zambezi National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Woodland Kingfisher sighting in Lower Zambezi National Park, based on 24 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Woodland Kingfisher in Lower Zambezi National Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for Woodland Kingfisher in Lower Zambezi National Park in our monthly data.