Photo: Zeynel Cebeci / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-throated Kingfisher
Halcyon smyrnensis
White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) — Kingfishers & Rollers of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) is a member of the Alcedinidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 91.4 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Coraciiformes
- Family Alcedinidae Kingfishers
- Genus Halcyon
- Species smyrnensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 91.4 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Alcedinidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-throated Kingfisher is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The White-throated Kingfisher is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family, part of the order Coraciiformes. It occurs naturally across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR widespread, also Middle East.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 91.4 g, with a wing length of about 11.3 cm and a tail of around 7.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 6.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-throated Kingfisher?
The White-throated Kingfisher is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 91.4 g.
Where does the White-throated Kingfisher live?
The White-throated Kingfisher is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR widespread, also Middle East, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the White-throated Kingfisher belong to?
The White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) belongs to the Alcedinidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the White-throated Kingfisher eat?
The White-throated Kingfisher is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the White-throated Kingfisher migrate?
The White-throated Kingfisher is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the White-throated Kingfisher endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the White-throated Kingfisher make?
1 real field recording of the White-throated Kingfisher — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the White-throated Kingfisher's range?
The White-throated Kingfisher has a mapped global range of about 6.8 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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