African Dwarf Kingfisher (Ispidina lecontei)
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African Dwarf Kingfisher

Ispidina lecontei Cassin, 1856

10 cmLength9.5 gWeight

This article discusses the African dwarf kingfisher, which is distinct from the Oriental dwarf kingfisher.

Busiest months: July · Most records: Uganda, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

African Dwarf Kingfisher has been recorded at 54 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 12 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Budongo Forest Reserve – Royal MileUganda476 records
  2. Ankasa NPGhana68 records
  3. Semuliki NPUganda64 records
More places
  1. Semuliki NP – Kirumya TrailUganda46 records
  2. Ankasa NP – entrance vicinityGhana24 records
  3. Mabira ForestUganda21 records
  4. Korup NP – Rengo Rock Camp AreaCameroon17 records
  5. Bosque Científica – Selva SecondariaEquatorial Guinea15 records
  6. Bosque Científica – Selva PrimariaEquatorial Guinea12 records
  7. Queen Elizabeth II NP – Ishasha SectorUganda12 records

Countries and regions with the most records

UgandaGhanaEquatorial GuineaCameroonGabonCongo - BrazzavilleCôte d’IvoireLiberia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

This article discusses the African dwarf kingfisher, which is distinct from the Oriental dwarf kingfisher.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the African Dwarf Kingfisher?

The African Dwarf Kingfisher is about 10 cm long and weighs around 9.5 g.

Where does the African Dwarf Kingfisher live?

Its breeding range: Africa: Sierra Leone to Ghana; southern Nigeria to western South Sudan, Uganda and central DR Congo; central Angola. It is most often recorded in Uganda, Ghana and Equatorial Guinea.

When is the best time to see the African Dwarf Kingfisher?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in July (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the African Dwarf Kingfisher endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the African Dwarf Kingfisher as Least Concern.

What does the African Dwarf Kingfisher eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the African Dwarf Kingfisher in?

It belongs to the family Kingfishers (Alcedinidae), order Coraciiformes.

At a glance

Length
10 cm
Weight
9.5 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
48 mm
Tail
20 mm
Bill
28 mm
Tarsus
7 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: Sierra Leone to Ghana; southern Nigeria to western South Sudan, Uganda and central DR Congo; central Angola

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Kingfishers Alcedinidae
Genus
Ispidina

Other birds in the genus Ispidina

African Pygmy KingfisherAfrican Pygmy KingfisherIspidina pictaGreen-backed KingfisherGreen-backed KingfisherActenoides monachusScaly-breasted KingfisherScaly-breasted KingfisherActenoides princepsMoustached KingfisherMoustached KingfisherActenoides bougainvilleiSpotted Wood KingfisherSpotted Wood KingfisherActenoides lindsayiBlue-capped KingfisherBlue-capped KingfisherActenoides hombroniRufous-collared KingfisherRufous-collared KingfisherActenoides concretusHook-billed KingfisherHook-billed KingfisherMelidora macrorrhinaBanded KingfisherBanded KingfisherLacedo pulchellaCommon Paradise KingfisherCommon Paradise KingfisherTanysiptera galatea
African Dwarf Kingfisher

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by William Stephens. ↗

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