Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Woodland Kingfisher
Halcyon senegalensis
Woodland Kingfisher (Halcyon senegalensis) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Woodland Kingfisher (Halcyon senegalensis) is a member of the Alcedinidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 73.4 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 Halcyon
- Species senegalensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 73.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Alcedinidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Woodland Kingfisher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Woodland Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Woodland Kingfisher (Halcyon senegalensis) belongs to the Alcedinidae family of the order Coraciiformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 73.4 g, with a wing length of about 9.9 cm and a tail of around 7.1 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 14.8 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Woodland Kingfisher?
The Woodland Kingfisher is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 73.4 g.
Where does the Woodland Kingfisher live?
The Woodland Kingfisher is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Woodland Kingfisher belong to?
The Woodland Kingfisher (Halcyon senegalensis) belongs to the Alcedinidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Woodland Kingfisher eat?
The Woodland Kingfisher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Woodland Kingfisher migrate?
The Woodland Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Woodland 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 Woodland Kingfisher make?
1 real field recording of the Woodland Kingfisher — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Woodland Kingfisher's range?
The Woodland Kingfisher has a mapped global range of about 14.8 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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