Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-bellied Kingfisher
Corythornis leucogaster
White-bellied Kingfisher (Corythornis leucogaster) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-bellied Kingfisher (Corythornis leucogaster) is a member of the Alcedinidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 14.5 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 Corythornis
- Species leucogaster
Quick facts
- Weight
- 14.5 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Alcedinidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-bellied Kingfisher hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The White-bellied Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-bellied Kingfisher (Corythornis leucogaster) is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family, part of the order Coraciiformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF c, w.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 14.5 g, with a wing length of about 5.5 cm and a tail of around 2.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-bellied Kingfisher?
The White-bellied Kingfisher is a very small bird that weighs around 14.5 g.
Where does the White-bellied Kingfisher live?
The White-bellied Kingfisher is found across Africa with a range covering AF c, w, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the White-bellied Kingfisher belong to?
The White-bellied Kingfisher (Corythornis leucogaster) belongs to the Alcedinidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the White-bellied Kingfisher eat?
The White-bellied Kingfisher hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the White-bellied Kingfisher migrate?
The White-bellied Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-bellied 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-bellied Kingfisher make?
1 real field recording of the White-bellied 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 White-bellied Kingfisher's range?
The White-bellied Kingfisher has a mapped global range of about 2.7 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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