Basic Information
Scientific classification
- Chinese name: Madagascar Kingfisher
- Scientific name: Madagascar Kingfisher, Ispidina madagascariensis, Ceyx madagascariensis, Madagascan pygmy kingfisher, Alcedo madagascariensis
- Classification: Climbing birds
- Genus and species: Order Coraciiformes, Family Kingfisher, Genus *Echinochloa*
Vital signs data
- Body length: Approximately 12 centimeters
- Weight: 17-22g
- Lifespan: No verification data available.
Significant features
Distribution and Habitat
The Madagascar kingfisher is distributed in the Indian Ocean (including Madagascar and its surrounding islands).
The Madagascar kingfisher is very similar to the pink-cheeked kingfisher (Ispidina picta) that lives on the African mainland, inhabiting the edges of grasslands and woodlands, as well as the rainforests and deciduous forests of Madagascar. Its distribution is very uneven, and it is rare in western Madagascar. They are found at altitudes below 1800 meters.
Appearance
The Madagascar Kingfisher is 12cm in length; males weigh 17-21g, and females weigh 17-22g. The top of the head is entirely bright red. The chin, throat, chest, abdomen, and tail are white, with a rectangular white patch on each side of the neck. The lower back, tail, back of the cheeks, and neck display a strong purple hue. The bill is red, and the iris is dark brown. The legs are red. Juveniles are darker in plumage than adults, with less pronounced purple hues. The black bill has a whitish tinge.
Detailed introduction
The Madagascar kingfisher, scientifically known as *Ispidina madagascariensis* or *Ceyx madagascariensis*, and also called Madagascar pygmy kingfisher or *Alcedo madagascariensis*, has two subspecies: 1. *Ispidina madagascariensis madagascariensis*, distributed in southwestern Madagascar; 2. *Ispidina madagascariensis dilutus*, distributed in the Sakaja region of southwestern Madagascar.
The Madagascar kingfisher sleeps alone in trees. It primarily feeds on insects, frogs, and small reptiles. It often emits a piercing, sharp cry to defend its territory.
Like most kingfishers, the Madagascar kingfisher nests in earthen cliffs or river embankments, using its beak to dig tunnel-like burrows, 30 to 35 centimeters in diameter. The female lays eggs in November. These burrows are generally unlined; the eggs are laid directly on the ground.
Listed in the IUCN Red List of Birds, ver 3.1: 2008.
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