Photo: (c) William Stephens, some rights reserved (CC BY) / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Kingfishers & Rollers

African Dwarf Kingfisher

Ispidina lecontei

African Dwarf Kingfisher (Ispidina lecontei) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Africa.

The African Dwarf Kingfisher (Ispidina lecontei) is a member of the Alcedinidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 9.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Coraciiformes
Family Alcedinidae Kingfishers
Genus Ispidina
Species lecontei

Where it lives

Sierra Leone to Ghana; southern Nigeria to western South Sudan, Uganda and central DR Congo; central Angola

Africa

Quick facts

Weight: 9.5 g
Diet: Invertebrate-eaters
Family: Alcedinidae
Order: Coraciiformes
Habitat: Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The African Dwarf Kingfisher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Behaviour

A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.

Migration

The African Dwarf Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The African Dwarf Kingfisher (Ispidina lecontei) is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family, part of the order Coraciiformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF Sierra Leone to Ghana; s Nigeria to w South Sudan, Uganda and c DR Congo; c Angola.

It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 9.5 g, with a wing length of about 4.8 cm and a tail of around 2 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 2.2 million km².

Songs & calls

African Dwarf Kingfisher — Call

Recorded by Jonathan Onongo Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the African Dwarf Kingfisher?

The African Dwarf Kingfisher is a very small bird that weighs around 9.5 g.

Where does the African Dwarf Kingfisher live?

The African Dwarf Kingfisher is found across Africa with a range covering AF Sierra Leone to Ghana; s Nigeria to w South Sudan, Uganda and c DR Congo; c Angola, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.

What family does the African Dwarf Kingfisher belong to?

The African Dwarf Kingfisher (Ispidina lecontei) belongs to the Alcedinidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.

What does the African Dwarf Kingfisher eat?

The African Dwarf Kingfisher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the African Dwarf Kingfisher migrate?

The African Dwarf Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the African Dwarf 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 African Dwarf Kingfisher make?

1 real field recording of the African Dwarf Kingfisher — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the African Dwarf Kingfisher's range?

The African Dwarf Kingfisher has a mapped global range of about 2.2 million km².