Photo: David Siu from Memphis, TN / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Kingfishers & Rollers

Half-collared Kingfisher

Alcedo semitorquata

Half-collared Kingfisher (Alcedo semitorquata) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Africa.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Kenya Birds of Tanzania Birds of South Africa

By family

Kingfishers of Kenya Kingfishers of Tanzania Kingfishers of South Africa

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The Half-collared Kingfisher (Alcedo semitorquata) is a member of the Alcedinidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 47.3 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 Alcedo
Species semitorquata

Where it lives

Ethiopia, Angola to Tanzania, south to Mozambique and southern South Africa

Africa

Quick facts

Weight: 47.3 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Alcedinidae
Order: Coraciiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Near Threatened

Malaysian Blue-banded Kingfisher

Alcedo peninsulae

Least Concern

Shining-blue Kingfisher

Alcedo quadribrachys

Critically Endangered

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Half-collared Kingfisher hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

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

Migration

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

The Half-collared Kingfisher (Alcedo semitorquata) is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family, part of the order Coraciiformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Ethiopia, Angola to Tanzania, s to Mozambique and s South Africa.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 47.3 g, with a wing length of about 8.1 cm and a tail of around 3.9 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 3.5 million km².

Songs & calls

Half-collared Kingfisher — Call

Recorded by Magnus Wadstein Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Half-collared Kingfisher?

The Half-collared Kingfisher is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 47.3 g.

Where does the Half-collared Kingfisher live?

The Half-collared Kingfisher is found across Africa with a range covering AF Ethiopia, Angola to Tanzania, s to Mozambique and s South Africa, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Half-collared Kingfisher belong to?

The Half-collared Kingfisher (Alcedo semitorquata) belongs to the Alcedinidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.

What does the Half-collared Kingfisher eat?

The Half-collared Kingfisher hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Half-collared Kingfisher migrate?

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

Is the Half-collared 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 Half-collared Kingfisher make?

1 real field recording of the Half-collared 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 Half-collared Kingfisher's range?

The Half-collared Kingfisher has a mapped global range of about 3.5 million km².