Half-collared Kingfisher (Alcedo semitorquata)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Half-collared Kingfisher

Alcedo semitorquata Swainson, 1823

18 cmLength47 gWeight

The half-collared kingfisher (Alcedo semitorquata) is a kingfisher in the subfamily Alcedininae that is found in southern and eastern Africa.

Busiest months: November · Most records: Zambia, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: November · Most records: Zambia, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Half-collared Kingfisher has been recorded at 97 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 13 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Wondo GenetEthiopia75 records
  2. East Usambara Mountains – Amani Nature ReserveTanzania63 records
  3. Caprivi Houseboat LodgeNamibia62 records
More places
  1. Melka GhebduEthiopia56 records
  2. Mlilwane Wildlife SanctuaryEswatini51 records
  3. Aberfoyle LodgeZimbabwe51 records
  4. Chobe River – boat tripBotswana48 records
  5. Zambezi river cruiseZimbabwe46 records
  6. Walter Sisulu National Botanical GardenSouth Africa33 records
  7. Umlalazi NRSouth Africa31 records

Countries and regions with the most records

ZambiaSouth AfricaZimbabweEthiopiaBotswanaTanzaniaNamibiaEswatini

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 half-collared kingfisher (Alcedo semitorquata) is a kingfisher in the subfamily Alcedininae that is found in southern and eastern Africa. It feeds almost exclusively on fish and frequents streams, rivers and larger bodies of water with dense shoreline vegetation.

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

Questions

How big is the Half-collared Kingfisher?

The Half-collared Kingfisher is about 18 cm long and weighs around 47 g.

Where does the Half-collared Kingfisher live?

Its breeding range: Africa: Ethiopia, Angola to Tanzania, south to Mozambique and southern South Africa. It is most often recorded in Zambia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

When is the best time to see the Half-collared Kingfisher?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Half-collared Kingfisher endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Half-collared Kingfisher as Least Concern.

What does the Half-collared Kingfisher eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Half-collared Kingfisher in?

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

At a glance

Length
18 cm
Weight
47 g
Habitat
Wetland
Diet
Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
81 mm
Tail
39 mm
Bill
50 mm
Tarsus
11 mm

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

Range

Africa: Ethiopia, Angola to Tanzania, south to Mozambique and southern South Africa

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Kingfishers Alcedinidae
Genus
Alcedo

Other birds in the genus Alcedo

Cerulean KingfisherCerulean KingfisherAlcedo coerulescensMalaysian Blue-banded KingfisherMalaysian Blue-banded KingfisherAlcedo peninsulaeJavan Blue-banded KingfisherJavan Blue-banded KingfisherAlcedo euryzonaShining-blue KingfisherShining-blue KingfisherAlcedo quadribrachysBlue-eared KingfisherBlue-eared KingfisherAlcedo menintingCommon KingfisherCommon KingfisherAlcedo atthisBlyth's KingfisherBlyth's KingfisherAlcedo herculesGreen-backed KingfisherGreen-backed KingfisherActenoides monachusScaly-breasted KingfisherScaly-breasted KingfisherActenoides princepsMoustached KingfisherMoustached KingfisherActenoides bougainvillei
Half-collared Kingfisher

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

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