The river kingfishers are one of the three families of bird in the kingfisher group. The family is widespread through Africa, through east and south Asia as far as Australia, with one species, the also appearing in Europe and northern Asia. These are brightly plumaged compact birds with short tails, large heads and long bills. They feed on insects or fish, and lay white eggs in a self-excavated burrow. [abstracted from Wikipedia]


Genus Alcedo

Kingfisher, Azure  Alcedo azurea  Found: Australia
Photographed by:  1) JJ Harrison - Julatten, Queensland  2) Stephen Barnett


Kingfisher, Common Alcedo atthis Found: Euope, Asia, Africa, Australia
Photographed by:  1) Ravi Vaidyanathan  2, 3, 4) Lukasz Lukasik


Kingfisher, Half-collared  Alcedo semitorquata  Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Arno Meintjes  2) David Siu - Knysna, Western Cape Province, South Africa


Kingfisher, Malachite Alcedo cristata    Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1, 2) Arno Meintjes  3) Hans Hillewaert


Kingfisher, Malagasy  Alcedo vintsioides  Found: Madagascar
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3) Frank Vassen - Madagascar



Genus Ceyx

Kingfisher, Madagascar Pygmy  Ceyx madagascariensis  Endemic to Madagascar
Photographed by: 1, 2) Frank Vassen - Mantadia National Park, Madagascar



Genus Ispidina

Kingfisher, African Pygmy  Ispidina picta  aka Ceyrx pictus  Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Steve Garvie  - Abuko, The Gambia  2) Yoky - Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania  3) Arno Meintjes






The water kingfishers are one of the three families of kingfishers. All American kingfischer species are in this family. These are all fish-eating species, unlike many representatives of the other two families.


Genus Ceryle - 1 species

Kingfisher, Pied Ceryle rudis   Found: Asia (including China and India), Africa
Photographed by:  1, 2) Arno Meintjes  3, 4, 5, 6) Dick Daniels - St. Lucia, South Africa 




Genus Megaceryle

Kingfisher, Belted Megaceryle alcyon Found: The Americas
Photographed by:   1) Elaine R Wilson  - Blackie Spit Park, Crescent Beach, British Columbia
   2) Alan D Wilson - Audubon Sabal Palm Sanctuary, Brownsville, Texas 
   3, 4) Dick Daniels - North Carolina     5) Dick - Jamaica
1, 2, 4) Female (more colorful than male!  3) Female



Kingfisher, Giant  Megaceryle maxima  Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Chris Eason  2) Brian Gratwicke    3) Arno Meintjes  4) Dick Daniels - St Lucia, South Africa
1) Female (colored below)  2, 3) male (colored above)


Kingfisher, Ringed  Megaceryle torquata  Found: The Americas
Photographed by: 1) Frank Vassen - Costa Rica  2) Dario Sanches - Brazil 




Genus Chloroceryle

Kingfisher, Amazon  Chloroceryle amazona   Found: South America
Photographed by: 1, 2) Len Blumin  near the Cano Negro Lodge, Costa Rica  3) Lip Kee Yap - Argentina
1, 2) Female  3) Male


Kingfisher, Green  Chloroceryle americana  Found: The Americas
Photographed by:  1, 2) Jerry Oldenettel  - Costa Rica  
1) Female  2) Male






The tree kingfishers are the most numerous of the three families of birds in the kingfisher group. Tree kingfishers are widespread through Asia and Australasia, but also appear in Africa and the islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, utilising a range of habitats from tropical rainforest to open woodlands. The tree kingfishers are short-tailed large-headed compact birds with long pointed bills. Most are monogamous and territorial, nesting in holes in trees or termite nests. Although some tree kingfishers frequent wetlands, none are specialist fish-eaters. Most species dive onto prey from a perch, mainly taking slow moving invertebrates or small vertebrates. [abstracted from Wikipedia]


Genus Dacelo

Kookaburra, Blue-winged Dacelo leachii   Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1) Adrian Pingstone - Cotswold Wildlife Park, Oxfordshire, England  2) Macinate


Kookaburra, Laughing  Dacelo novaeguineae    Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1, 2) Dick Daniels - Australia   3) JJ Harrison - Tasmania, Australia  4) Toby Hudson - Ashfield, NSW, Australia

Genus Halcyon

Kingfisher, Black-capped  Halcyon pileata  Found: Asia
Photographed by: 1) JJ Harrison - Thailand  2) Johnny Wee


Kingfisher, Brown-hooded Halcyon albiventris   Found: Africa
Photographed by:  1) Arno Meintjes  2) Dick Daniels - Tanzania   3) Dick - Kruger National Park, South Africa


Kingfisher, Grey-headed Halcyon leucocephala Found: Africa
Photographed by:  1, 2) Dick Daniels - Tanzania 3) Alastair Rae  4) Arno Meintjes


Kingfisher, Ruddy  Halcyon coromanda  Found: Asia
Photographed by: Yasaiman - Ueno Zoo, Tokyo, Japan


Kingfisher, Striped Halcyon chelicuti   Found: Africa
Photographed by  1) Arno Meintjes  2) Jerry Friedman - Kenya


Kingfisher, White-throated aka White-breasted Kingfisher  Halcyon smyrnensis  Found: Europe, Asia
Photographed by:  1) Lip Kee Yap   2) Dick Daniels - Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo  3) Shiva Shankar 


Kingfisher, Woodland Halcyon senegalensis   Found: Africa
Photographed by:  1, 2) Dick Daniels - Tanzania  3, 4, 5) Arno Meintjes




Genus Todiramphus

Kingfisher, Collared  Todiramphus chloris  Found: Asia, Australasia
Photographed by: 1) Johnny Wee   2) JJ Harrison - Thailand  3) Tom Tarrant


Kingfisher, Forest  Todiramphus macleayii  Found: Australasia
Photographed by: 1) David Cook - Lake Eacham, QLD, Australia  2) Frank Wouters  
    3) JJ Harrison - Daintree Village, Queensland, Australia


Kingfisher, Red-Backed Todiramphus pyrrhopygius  Found: Australia
Photographed by: Richard Fisher


Kingfisher, Sacred  Todirhamphus sanctus  Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1) David Cook - Willandra National Park, NSW, Australia 2) Oystercatcher