
Malachite Kingfisher
Corythornis cristatus (Pallas, 1764)
13 cmLength16 gWeight
Most records: South Africa, Kenya, Uganda
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
- Nairobi NPKenya1,360 records
- Mabamba SwampUganda1,122 records
- Marievale Bird SanctuarySouth Africa537 records
More places
- Mabamba Swamp – Main channelUganda454 records
- Amboseli NPKenya439 records
- Queen Elizabeth II NP – Kazinga Channel Boat TripUganda425 records
- Lake Mburo NPUganda417 records
- Rondevlei NRSouth Africa416 records
- Lake BaringoKenya399 records
- Nguuni Nature SanctuaryKenya398 records
Countries and regions with the most records
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
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Family
- Kingfishers Alcedinidae
- Genus
- Corythornis
Other birds in the genus Corythornis
Madagascar Pygmy KingfisherCorythornis madagascariensis
White-bellied KingfisherCorythornis leucogaster
Malagasy KingfisherCorythornis vintsioides
Green-backed KingfisherActenoides monachus
Scaly-breasted KingfisherActenoides princeps
Moustached KingfisherActenoides bougainvillei
Spotted Wood KingfisherActenoides lindsayi
Blue-capped KingfisherActenoides hombroni
Rufous-collared KingfisherActenoides concretus
Hook-billed KingfisherMelidora macrorrhina
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Marc Henrion. ↗
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In other languages
- EnglishMalachite Kingfisher
- 简体中文冠翠鸟
- 繁體中文冠翠鳥
- 日本語カンムリカワセミ
- DeutschHaubenzwergfischer
- FrançaisMartin-pêcheur huppé
- EspañolMartín pescador malaquita
- Portuguêspica-peixinho-de-poupa
- ItalianoMartin pescatore malachite
- NederlandsMalachietijsvogel
- РусскийМалахитовый зимородок
- Svenskamalakitkungsfiskare
- DanskMalakit Isfugl
- Polskizimorodek malachitowy