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Difference between revisions of "Grey-headed Kingfisher" - BirdForum Opus

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{{incomplete}}
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[[Image:Grey-headed KingfisherMM.jpg|thumb|450px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|mikemik|mikemik}} <br/ >Manyara Park, [[Tanzania]], May, 2018]]
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'''Alternative name: Grey-hooded Kingfisher'''
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;[[:Category:Halcyon|Halcyon]] leucocephala
 
;[[:Category:Halcyon|Halcyon]] leucocephala
[[Image:Grey-headed_Kingfisher.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by John Dempsey<br>East Tsavo reserve, [[Kenya]]]]
 
  
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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Length 20-22 cm (7¾-8½ in).<br />
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A medium-sized kingfisher with a grey head and chestnut belly.
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==Distribution==
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[[Image:Grey-headed_Kingfisher.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|jdbirdman|John Dempsey}} <br/ >East Tsavo reserve, [[Kenya]], August 2005]]
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Sub-Saharan [[Africa]] and [[Arabian Peninsula]]:<br />
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'''Western Africa''': [[Mauritania]], [[Senegambia]], [[Senegal]], [[The Gambia]], [[Guinea-Bissau]], [[Mali]], [[Sierra Leone]], [[Liberia]], [[Ivory Coast]], [[Burkina Faso]], [[Ghana]], [[Togo]], [[Nigeria]], [[Niger]], [[Chad]], [[Cameroon]], [[Central African Republic]], [[Equatorial Guinea]], [[Gabon]], [[Congo]], [[Democratic Republic of Congo]], [[Angola]], [[Zaire]]<br />
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'''Eastern Africa''': [[Sudan]], [[South Sudan]], [[Eritrea]], [[Ethiopia]], [[Djibouti]], [[Somalia]], [[Kenya]], [[Uganda]], [[Rwanda]], [[Burundi]], [[Tanzania]], [[Zambia]], [[Mozambique]], [[Malawi]]<br />
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'''Southern Africa''': [[Namibia]], [[Botswana]], [[Zimbabwe]], [[South Africa]], [[eSwatini]] <br />
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'''African Islands''': [[Cape Verde]]<br />
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'''Middle East''': Arabian Peninsula: [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Yemen]]
  
==Distribution==
 
Sub-Saharan [[Africa]] and [[Arabian Peninsula]].
 
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
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====Subspecies====
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[[Image:ImmGrey-headedKingfisher_Mybs_Kruger.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Immature<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Mybs|Mybs}}<br />[[Kruger National Park]], [[South Africa]], January 2008]]
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''Halcyon leucocephala'' has five subspecies:<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>
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:''H. l. acteon''
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:*[[Cape Verde]] Islands
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:''H. l. semicaerulea''
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:*Red Sea coast of extreme southern [[Arabian Peninsula]]
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:''H. l. leucocephala''
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:*[[Senegambia]] to [[Ethiopia]], north-western [[Somalia]] and north-eastern [[DRC]]
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:''H. l. hyacinthina''
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:*Southern [[Somalia]] and coastal [[Kenya]] to [[Mozambique]]
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:''H. l. pallidiventris''
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:*[[Congo]], [[DRC]], [[Rwanda]] and north-western [[Tanzania]] to northern [[South Africa]]
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
Non-aquatic; woodland and savanna.
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Found close to water in West Africa; in East Africa they seem to favour open woodland, often some distance from water. Bushy grassland, thickets and parks.
[[Image:ImmGrey-headedKingfisher_Mybs_Kruger.jpg|thumb|450px|right|Immature Grey-headed Kingfisher<br>Photo by Mybs<br>[[Kruger National Park]], [[South Africa]]]]
 
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
Feeds mainly on insects taken on or near the ground; also eats fish, frogs, reptiles, small mammals and birds (including [[Bronze Mannikin]], [[Red-throated Wryneck]] and chicks of [[Red-billed Quelea]], [[White-eared Barbet]] and [[Black-collared Barbet]]).
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====Diet====
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Feeds mainly on insects taken on or near the ground; also eats fish, frogs, grasshoppers, reptiles, small mammals and birds (including [[Bronze Mannikin]], [[Red-throated Wryneck]] and chicks of [[Red-billed Quelea]], [[White-eared Barbet]] and [[Black-collared Barbet]]).
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==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug17}}#Avibase
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#Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved October 2015)
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#BF Member observations
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{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
{{GSearch|Halcyon+leucocephala}}  
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Search the Gallery using the scientific name:
 
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{{GSearch|Halcyon+leucocephala}}
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Search the Gallery using the common name:
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{{GSearch|"Halcyon leucocephala"}}
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{{GS-checked}}
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<br />
 +
<br />
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Halcyon]]
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Halcyon]]

Latest revision as of 18:41, 23 September 2022

Photo © by mikemik
Manyara Park, Tanzania, May, 2018

Alternative name: Grey-hooded Kingfisher

Halcyon leucocephala

Identification

Length 20-22 cm (7¾-8½ in).
A medium-sized kingfisher with a grey head and chestnut belly.

Distribution

Photo © by John Dempsey
East Tsavo reserve, Kenya, August 2005

Sub-Saharan Africa and Arabian Peninsula:
Western Africa: Mauritania, Senegambia, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Zaire
Eastern Africa: Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi
Southern Africa: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, eSwatini
African Islands: Cape Verde
Middle East: Arabian Peninsula: Saudi Arabia, Yemen

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Immature
Photo © by Mybs
Kruger National Park, South Africa, January 2008

Halcyon leucocephala has five subspecies:[1]

H. l. acteon
H. l. semicaerulea
H. l. leucocephala
H. l. hyacinthina
H. l. pallidiventris

Habitat

Found close to water in West Africa; in East Africa they seem to favour open woodland, often some distance from water. Bushy grassland, thickets and parks.

Behaviour

Diet

Feeds mainly on insects taken on or near the ground; also eats fish, frogs, grasshoppers, reptiles, small mammals and birds (including Bronze Mannikin, Red-throated Wryneck and chicks of Red-billed Quelea, White-eared Barbet and Black-collared Barbet).

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Avibase
  3. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved October 2015)
  4. BF Member observations

Recommended Citation

External Links

Search the Gallery using the scientific name:

Search the Gallery using the common name:

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.

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