Ispidina picta picta

(Boddaert, 1783)

Vernacular names
English : African pygmy-kingfisher
French : Martin-pêcheur pygmée

Classification
Class : Aves
Order : Coraciiformes
Family : Alcedinidae
Notes : 2 other subspecies known.

Identification
Adults can reach a total length of 12 cm for a weight of 16 g. Very long red bill. Most of plumage is rufous brown with violet tinge on ears. Crown is bright blue. Wings and back dark and bright blue. White throat. This subspecies is lightest with no blue spot on neck.

Range and habitat
The species occurs in most of subsaharan Africa, from Senega to Ethiopia and Eritrea, south to eastern South Africa. It lives in forests, woodlands and thickets near water.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Not Listed
Status : The species remains common in the wild and has a large range. It often crashes in building glasses while moving at night, in South Africa.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation
Wild (Libreville, Gabon), Zoo Wuppertal (Germany), Zoo Frankfurt (Germany)

 

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