Basic Information
Scientific classification
- Chinese name: White-bellied Kingfisher
- Scientific name: Alcedo leucogaster, White-bellied Kingfisher
- Classification: Climbing birds
- Classification and genus: Order Coraciiformes, Family Kingfisher, Genus Kingfisher
Vital signs data
- Body length: Approximately 14 centimeters
- Weight: Approximately 14g
- Lifespan: No verification data available.
Significant features
It is roughly the same size and appearance as the crested kingfisher, but its belly is white and the feathers on its head do not stand up to form a crest.
Distribution and Habitat
The white-bellied kingfisher is distributed in south-central Africa (including the southern Arabian Peninsula and the entire African continent south of the Sahara Desert (Tropic of Cancer)).
White-bellied kingfishers inhabit areas with thickets or sparse forests, dry forests with low vegetation, rivers, marshes, mangroves, streams, lakes, gardens, coconut plantations, and ponds.
Appearance
The White-bellied Kingfisher is 14 cm in length; the female weighs 14.5 g and the male 14.7 g. Its plumage is vibrant and glossy, blue. It is roughly the same size and appearance as the Crested Kingfisher, but its belly is white, and its head feathers do not stand erect in a crest. The front of its cheeks is red, while the rest of its head is blue. It has a blue crest, and its red eyebrows meet its cheeks. It has a white throat and a white patch at the back of its neck. Its tail is ultramarine and glossy. The wings have a blackish tinge beneath the bright ultramarine feathers. The bill is reddish-orange, and the iris is dark brown. The legs are red. Males and females are similar.
The beak is thick, straight, long, and strong, with a rounded ridge; the nasal groove is indistinct; the wingtips are long, with the first primary flight feather being slightly shorter, and the third and fourth being the longest; the tail is short and rounded; the head is large, the neck is short, the wings are short and rounded, and the tail is also mostly short; the beak is large and pointed, with a blunt cusp; the legs are very short, the toes are thin and weak, the fourth toe is mostly fused with the third toe, and only fused with the second toe at the base. The preen gland is covered with (protruding feathers). Coracoid bones are present on both sides, and there are four notches on the posterior margin of the sternum; the manubrium of the sternum is simply formed by external spines.
Detailed introduction
The white-bellied kingfisher, scientifically known as *Corythornis leucogaster* or *Alcedo leucogaster*, has three subspecies: 1. *Alcedo leucogaster bowdleri*, found in Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, and Ghana; 2. *Alcedo leucogaster leucogaster*, found in Nigeria, Cameroon, Fernandope, Gabon, and Angola; and 3. *Alcedo leucogaster leopoldi*, found in the Congo Basin, Central African Republic, Zaire, and Uganda (Coral Bay, Mabila Forest).
The white-bellied kingfisher is a solitary bird, usually perching alone on branches or rocks near water, waiting to hunt. Its diet consists mainly of small fish, but it also eats insect larvae, water cockroaches, beetles, termites, ants, wasps, spider crabs, earthworms, frogs, tadpoles, and lizards. The kingfisher maintains excellent vision even when submerged, as its eyes can quickly adjust to the visual contrast caused by light changes underwater. Therefore, it is highly skilled at catching fish.
White-bellied kingfishers typically nest on earthen cliffs, or on the banks of fields and streams, digging tunnel-like burrows with their beaks. These burrows are usually unlined. Eggs are laid directly on the ground inside the nest. They usually lay two eggs at a time. The breeding season depends on their habitat; in Cameroon, it is July and from October to December. On islands like Gabon, it is from December to January or even earlier. The eggs are pure white, glossy, and slightly spotted, measuring approximately 28 mm × 18 mm. They breed 1-2 broods per year; the incubation period is about 21 days. Both parents incubate the eggs, but only the female feeds the chicks.
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