Halcyon badia
The Chocolate-backed Kingfisher (Halcyon badia) is a stunning yet often elusive resident of West and Central African rainforests, measuring approximately 20-22 cm (8-8.5 inches) in length. This medium-sized kingfisher is instantly recognizable by its deep, rich chocolate-brown head and back, contrasting sharply with its vibrant rufous (reddish-brown) underparts. A striking flash of iridescent azure blue adorns its rump, lower back, and wing patches, often only visible in flight, while its sto...
This species thrives in primary lowland rainforests and mature secondary forests across its range. While occasionally found near small streams or clearings, it is not strictly tied to water and can be found at elevations up to 1400 meters.
Its diet primarily consists of large insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, and mantises, supplemented by spiders, scorpions, small lizards, frogs, and occasionally small snakes or crabs. It forages by sallying from a perch to grab prey from the ground or foliage.
The Chocolate-backed Kingfisher is a predominantly solitary or pair-dwelling diurnal bird, known for its quiet, patient demeanor when perched. It employs a classic perch-and-sally foraging strategy, waiting motionless on a shaded branch before rapidly swooping down to snatch prey from the forest ...
The Chocolate-backed Kingfisher is a resident species found exclusively in the tropical rainforest belt of West and Central Africa. Its range extends from Sierra Leone in the west, eastward through Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria. Further into Central Africa, it occupies Cam...
Least Concern
- One of the few species in the "kingfisher" family that rarely, if ever, eats fish, preferring terrestrial invertebrates and small vertebrates. - Its brilliant azure blue rump and wing patches are often hidden from view, only flashing into sight as the bird takes flight through the dense forest,...