Malagasy Kingfisher
Corythornis vintsioides
Silhouette: Steven Traver · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCoraciiformes (Rollers, Kingfishers, and Allies)
- FamilyAlcedinidae (Kingfishers)
- GenusCorythornis (African River Kingfishers)
- SpeciesCorythornis vintsioides (Malagasy Kingfisher)
About the Malagasy Kingfisher
The Malagasy kingfisher or Madagascar kingfisher (Corythornis vintsioides) is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae that is found in Madagascar, Mayotte and the Comoros. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.
The Malagasy kingfisher was formally described by the French naturalists Joseph Eydoux and Paul Gervais in 1836 and given the binomial name Alcedo vintsioides. It is closely related to the malachite kingfisher (Corythornis cristatus) which is widely distributed in mainland Africa. It is one of only two kingfishers that occur in Madagascar. The other is the Madagascar pygmy kingfisher (Corythornis madagascariensis).
There are two subspecies: C. v. johannae Meinertzhagen, R., 1924 – Comoro Islands C. v. vintsioides (Eydoux & Gervais, 1836) – Madagascar The Malagasy kingfisher is 13 cm (5.1 in) in length with a weight of 16.5 to 22 g (0.58 to 0.78 oz). It has dark blue upperparts, rufous underparts and a crested blue-and-green-barred crown. The bill is black. The sexes are alike. The blue plumage of the race C. v. johannae is paler and greener than that of the nominate.
Madagascar pygmy kingfisher List of birds of Madagascar... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Malagasy Kingfisher in Ranomafana National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Ranomafana National Park
Madagascar Pygmy-Kingfisher
Corythornis madagascariensis
Pitta-like Ground Roller
Atelornis pittoides
Rufous-headed Ground Roller
Atelornis crossleyi
Madagascar Bee-eater
Merops superciliosus
Broad-billed Roller
Eurystomus glaucurus
Short-legged Ground Roller
Brachypteracias leptosomus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ankarafantsika National Park | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 2 | Ranomafana National Park | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 3 | Berenty Reserve | 🇲🇬 Madagascar |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Malagasy Kingfisher in Ranomafana National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Malagasy Kingfisher sighting in Ranomafana National Park, based on 56 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Malagasy Kingfisher in Ranomafana National Park?
February has the highest sighting rate for Malagasy Kingfisher in Ranomafana National Park in our monthly data.