Malachite Kingfisher (Corythornis cristatus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Malachite Kingfisher

Corythornis cristatus (Pallas, 1764)

13 cmLength16 gWeight

Most records: South Africa, Kenya, Uganda

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Malachite Kingfisher has been recorded at 520 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 42 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Nairobi NPKenya1,360 records
  2. Mabamba SwampUganda1,122 records
  3. Marievale Bird SanctuarySouth Africa537 records
More places
  1. Mabamba Swamp – Main channelUganda454 records
  2. Amboseli NPKenya439 records
  3. Queen Elizabeth II NP – Kazinga Channel Boat TripUganda425 records
  4. Lake Mburo NPUganda417 records
  5. Rondevlei NRSouth Africa416 records
  6. Lake BaringoKenya399 records
  7. Nguuni Nature SanctuaryKenya398 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South AfricaKenyaUgandaBotswanaTanzaniaGambiaRwandaEthiopia

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

Questions

How big is the Malachite Kingfisher?

The Malachite Kingfisher is about 13 cm long and weighs around 16 g.

Where does the Malachite Kingfisher live?

Its breeding range: Africa: widespread. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Kenya and Uganda.

Is the Malachite Kingfisher endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Malachite Kingfisher as Least Concern.

What does the Malachite Kingfisher eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Malachite Kingfisher in?

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

At a glance

Length
13 cm
Weight
16 g
Habitat
Wetland
Diet
Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
56 mm
Tail
27 mm
Bill
34 mm
Tarsus
8 mm

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

Range

Africa: widespread

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Kingfishers Alcedinidae
Genus
Corythornis

Other birds in the genus Corythornis

Malachite Kingfisher

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

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