Some of the kingfishers in Africa and Asia are spectacular and there are so many species that one can see 6 or more on a single trip. In the Americas there are only 6 kingfisher species in total. So here they are in checklist order.
The 7" Chocolate-backed Kingfisher (Halcyon badia) is listed as uncommon in western Uganda forests. We could hear them in the canopy but we must have struggled for 1/2 an hour to finally see them. But the effort paid off to see this amazing bird with a brown head and back, turquoise wings and tail, white underside and huge red bill.
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| Chocolate-backed Kingfisher |
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| Gray-headed Kingfisher |
The 6.5" Striped Kingfisher (Halcyon chelicuti) is mostly white with streaking on his head, brown on lower back and the turquoise wings and tail with the red bill again.
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| Striped Kingfisher |
The 8.5" Woodland Kingfisher (Halcyon senegalensis) has a white head and body with a blue back, wings and tail. There are large black shoulder patches on the wings. Of course a large red bill as he is still the same genus.
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| Woodland Kingfisher |
The 4" African Dwarf Kingfisher (Ispidina lecontei) is a little jewel. This is the smallest kingfisher in the world.
I noticed the species name 'lecontei' and decided to investigate further as we have 2 species in the USA - LeConte's Sparrow and LeConte's Thrasher. Well it turns out that all 3 birds are named for John Lawrence LeConte - the leading entomologist in North America in mid 1800s. He described over 10,000 species of insects new to science. LeConte's Sparrow was discovered by Audubon and named for LeConte. LeConte himself discovered the LeConte's Thrasher. However, LeConte never visited Africa so how did this bird get named for him? Well another famous US ornithologist, John Cassin, whom we know for several western North America species such as Cassin's Finch, Kingbird, Auklet etc. was curator at the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences. He was looking at specimens from Africa in the collection and named many of them for science and this kingfisher for his friend.
I noticed the species name 'lecontei' and decided to investigate further as we have 2 species in the USA - LeConte's Sparrow and LeConte's Thrasher. Well it turns out that all 3 birds are named for John Lawrence LeConte - the leading entomologist in North America in mid 1800s. He described over 10,000 species of insects new to science. LeConte's Sparrow was discovered by Audubon and named for LeConte. LeConte himself discovered the LeConte's Thrasher. However, LeConte never visited Africa so how did this bird get named for him? Well another famous US ornithologist, John Cassin, whom we know for several western North America species such as Cassin's Finch, Kingbird, Auklet etc. was curator at the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences. He was looking at specimens from Africa in the collection and named many of them for science and this kingfisher for his friend.
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| African Dwarf Kingfisher |
The 4.5" African Pygmy Kingfisher (Ispidina picta) is very similar, but the crown is blue. This is a juvenile bird with the black bill. The adult has a red bill.
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| African Pygmy Kingfisher - juvenile |
The 5" Malachite Kingfisher (Corythornis cristatis) is somewhat similar despite a different genus, but the slight shaggy crest on top of the head makes the ID.
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| Malachite Kingfisher |
Lastly is the 10" Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis). This black and white bird is an easy ID. On one of the boat rides, we visited a nesting colony in a mud bank consisting of perhaps 100 birds attending to their nest holes.
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| Pied Kingfisher |
I photographed 2 new species of antelope in Uganda, The Kob (Kobus kob) is a beautiful animal with distinct white facial marking, curved ridged horns (male only) and black on the front of the legs. The males weigh up to 250 pounds. There are 3 subspecies ranging across central Africa from Senegal in the west to Sudan and Uganda in the east.
The Topi (Damaliscus lunatus) is a heavy set antelope with males weighing up to 350 pounds. It is dark brown with a black face and black shoulders, thighs and upper legs. Both sexes have the curved horns.
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| Kob - male |
The Topi (Damaliscus lunatus) is a heavy set antelope with males weighing up to 350 pounds. It is dark brown with a black face and black shoulders, thighs and upper legs. Both sexes have the curved horns.
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| Topi |
I put the different bird/mammal families in single folders for easy viewing
I have photos of 18 of the 113 species of kingfishers
I have photos of 25 of the 147 species of antelope, bison, cattle
Happy birding and photography,
David McDonald
dkmmdpa@gmail.com
photos copyright 2006 - 2020 David McDonald
To have these trip reports sent to your email, please email me at the above address and ask to subscribe.
I have photos of 18 of the 113 species of kingfishers
I have photos of 25 of the 147 species of antelope, bison, cattle
Happy birding and photography,
dkmmdpa@gmail.com
photos copyright 2006 - 2020 David McDonald
To have these trip reports sent to your email, please email me at the above address and ask to subscribe.
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