Photo: Sushaw / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Near Threatened

Kingfishers & Rollers

Blyth’s Kingfisher

Alcedo hercules

Blyth's Kingfisher (Alcedo hercules) — Kingfishers & Rollers of South & Southeast Asia.

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The Blyth’s Kingfisher (Alcedo hercules) is a member of the Alcedinidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 62.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

NT Near Threatened

Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Coraciiformes
Family Alcedinidae Kingfishers
Genus Alcedo
Species hercules

Where it lives

Eastern Nepal to central Vietnam

South & Southeast Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 62.5 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Alcedinidae
Order: Coraciiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Vulnerable

Half-collared Kingfisher

Alcedo semitorquata

Critically Endangered

Malaysian Blue-banded Kingfisher

Alcedo peninsulae

Biology & behaviour

Diet

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

The Blyth’s Kingfisher (Alcedo hercules) is a member of the Alcedinidae family, within the order Coraciiformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR e Nepal to c Vietnam.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 62.5 g, with a wing length of about 9.6 cm and a tail of around 4.5 cm.

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 698,000 km².

Songs & calls

Blyth’s Kingfisher — Flight call

Recorded by Frank Lambert Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Blyth’s Kingfisher?

The Blyth’s Kingfisher is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 62.5 g.

Where does the Blyth’s Kingfisher live?

The Blyth’s Kingfisher is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR e Nepal to c Vietnam, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Blyth’s Kingfisher belong to?

The Blyth’s Kingfisher (Alcedo hercules) belongs to the Alcedinidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.

What does the Blyth’s Kingfisher eat?

The Blyth’s Kingfisher hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Blyth’s Kingfisher migrate?

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

Is the Blyth’s Kingfisher endangered?

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

What sound does the Blyth’s Kingfisher make?

1 real field recording of the Blyth’s 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 Blyth’s Kingfisher's range?

The Blyth’s Kingfisher has a mapped global range of about 698,000 km².