Blue-breasted Kingfisher (Halcyon malimbica)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Blue-breasted Kingfisher

Halcyon malimbica (Shaw, 1812)

25 cmLength92 gWeight

The blue-breasted kingfisher (Halcyon malimbica) is a tree kingfisher widely distributed across Equatorial Africa.

Busiest months: January–February and November · Most records: Ghana, Gambia, Uganda

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: January–February and November · Most records: Ghana, Gambia, Uganda

Blue-breasted Kingfisher has been recorded at 161 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 23 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Campement de WassadouSenegal369 records
  2. Budongo Forest Reserve – Royal MileUganda337 records
  3. Ankasa NPGhana288 records
More places
  1. Kibale NPUganda215 records
  2. Mole NP – Samole Loop & waterholeGhana195 records
  3. Kotu CreekGambia186 records
  4. Kotu Creek – Bridge and MouthGambia185 records
  5. Tendaba Bush Camp – Mangrove Boat RideGambia162 records
  6. Amurum Forest ReserveNigeria142 records
  7. Semuliki NPUganda140 records

Countries and regions with the most records

GhanaGambiaUgandaSenegalNigeriaGabonEquatorial GuineaCameroon

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

The blue-breasted kingfisher (Halcyon malimbica) is a tree kingfisher widely distributed across Equatorial Africa. This kingfisher is essentially resident, but retreats from drier savanna areas to wetter habitats in the dry season.

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

Questions

How big is the Blue-breasted Kingfisher?

The Blue-breasted Kingfisher is about 25 cm long and weighs around 92 g.

Where does the Blue-breasted Kingfisher live?

Its breeding range: Africa: central, western. It is most often recorded in Ghana, Gambia and Uganda.

When is the best time to see the Blue-breasted Kingfisher?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January, February and November (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Blue-breasted Kingfisher endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Blue-breasted Kingfisher as Least Concern.

What does the Blue-breasted Kingfisher eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Blue-breasted Kingfisher in?

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

At a glance

Length
25 cm
Weight
92 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
114 mm
Tail
78 mm
Bill
57 mm
Tarsus
17 mm

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

Range

Africa: central, western

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Kingfishers Alcedinidae
Genus
Halcyon

Other birds in the genus Halcyon

Ruddy KingfisherRuddy KingfisherHalcyon coromandaWhite-throated KingfisherWhite-throated KingfisherHalcyon smyrnensisBrown-breasted KingfisherBrown-breasted KingfisherHalcyon gularisJavan KingfisherJavan KingfisherHalcyon cyanoventrisChocolate-backed KingfisherChocolate-backed KingfisherHalcyon badiaBlack-capped KingfisherBlack-capped KingfisherHalcyon pileataGrey-headed KingfisherGrey-headed KingfisherHalcyon leucocephalaBrown-hooded KingfisherBrown-hooded KingfisherHalcyon albiventrisStriped KingfisherStriped KingfisherHalcyon chelicutiWoodland KingfisherWoodland KingfisherHalcyon senegalensisMangrove KingfisherMangrove KingfisherHalcyon senegaloides
Blue-breasted Kingfisher

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

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