Kingfishers of South Africa
10 kingfishers recorded in South Africa on the eBird network and profiled in the Birbs encyclopedia — the full list, with photos, sounds and ID notes, plus what's near you now.
10 kingfishers have been recorded in South Africa on eBird, the global citizen-science database run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and carry a full profile in the Birbs encyclopedia. Every bird below is a member of this group — the family Alcedinidae. Start with the well-known species, browse the complete list, then check which are being reported near you right now.
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Kingfishers of South Africa to know first
African Pygmy KingfisherIspidina picta
Brown-hooded KingfisherHalcyon albiventris
Giant KingfisherMegaceryle maxima
Grey-headed KingfisherHalcyon leucocephala
Half-collared KingfisherAlcedo semitorquata
Malachite KingfisherCorythornis cristatus
Mangrove KingfisherHalcyon senegaloides
Pied KingfisherCeryle rudis
Striped KingfisherHalcyon chelicuti
Woodland KingfisherHalcyon senegalensis
Keep exploring
- Birds of South Africa
- Hawks, Eagles & Kites of South Africa (51 species)
- Old World Flycatchers & Chats of South Africa (42 species)
- Sandpipers & Allies of South Africa (37 species)
- Petrels & Shearwaters of South Africa (35 species)
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of South Africa (33 species)
- Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of South Africa (33 species)
- Cisticolas & Allies of South Africa (32 species)
- Larks of South Africa (27 species)
- Weavers of South Africa (25 species)
- Wagtails & Pipits of South Africa (24 species)
- Waxbills & Munias of South Africa (23 species)
- Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of South Africa (21 species)
- Plovers of South Africa (20 species)
- Swallows & Martins of South Africa (19 species)
- Cuckoos of South Africa (18 species)
Kingfishers in other regions
- Kingfishers of Indonesia (52 species)
Species and counts come from the eBird network; "recorded" means reported by birders to eBird. Family grouping follows the IOC World Bird List. Tap any bird for its full profile.
Frequently asked questions
How many kingfishers are found in South Africa?
10 kingfishers that we profile appear on South Africa's eBird-reported checklist. The full A–Z list is on this page; the real total can shift as eBird records are added.
Are all of these kingfishers really found there?
Yes — each one is on South Africa's eBird checklist (reported by birders to the Cornell Lab's eBird), and each of these kingfishers belongs to the family group named on this page. We don't rank them by abundance, because that varies by season and locale.
Where can I see kingfishers in South Africa right now?
Use Birds Near You for live, location-based reports, or turn on rare-bird alerts to hear when a notable one shows up close to you.
