Shona Name:
Ndebele Name:
Type:
Aves
Order:
Coraciiformes
Diet:
Kingfishers feed on a wide variety of prey mainly fish and at times frogs and other amphibians, annelid worms, insects, spiders, centipedes and reptiles including snakes.
Size:
They are medium-sized birds with large heads
Weight:
Protection Status:
General Background:
Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs and stubby tails. There are 93 species worldwide and 9 species which occur in Zimbabwe.
Kingfisher species found in Zimbabwe:
- Half-collared kingfisher, Alcedo semitorquata
- Malachite kingfisher, Corythornis cristatus
- African pygmy kingfisher, Ispidina picta
- Gray-headed kingfisher, Halcyon leucocephala
- Woodland kingfisher, Halcyon senegalensis
- Brown-hooded kingfisher, Halcyon albiventris
- Striped kingfisher, Halcyon chelicuti
- Giant kingfisher, Megaceryle maximus
- Pied kingfisher, Ceryle rudis