Photo: Giles Laurent / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
American Pygmy Kingfisher
Chloroceryle aenea
American Pygmy Kingfisher (Chloroceryle aenea) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 7 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The American Pygmy Kingfisher (Chloroceryle aenea) is a member of the Alcedinidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 13.8 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 Chloroceryle
- Species aenea
Quick facts
- Weight
- 13.8 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Alcedinidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The American Pygmy Kingfisher hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of rivers and riverside habitats, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The American Pygmy Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The American Pygmy Kingfisher (Chloroceryle aenea) is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family, part of the order Coraciiformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA s Mexico to n Argentina.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 13.8 g, with a wing length of about 5.6 cm and a tail of around 3.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 9.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the American Pygmy Kingfisher?
The American Pygmy Kingfisher is a very small bird that weighs around 13.8 g.
Where does the American Pygmy Kingfisher live?
The American Pygmy Kingfisher is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA s Mexico to n Argentina, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the American Pygmy Kingfisher belong to?
The American Pygmy Kingfisher (Chloroceryle aenea) belongs to the Alcedinidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the American Pygmy Kingfisher eat?
The American Pygmy Kingfisher hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the American Pygmy Kingfisher migrate?
The American Pygmy Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the American Pygmy 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 American Pygmy Kingfisher make?
1 real field recording of the American Pygmy Kingfisher — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the American Pygmy Kingfisher's range?
The American Pygmy Kingfisher has a mapped global range of about 9.3 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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