Megaceryle maxima
The Giant Kingfisher (Megaceryle maxima) is the largest kingfisher in Africa, a truly impressive and strikingly colored avian predator. Measuring an imposing 42-46 cm (16.5-18 in) in length and weighing between 275-425 g (9.7-15 oz), this species boasts a shaggy crest and dark slate-grey upperparts profusely speckled with white. Its most distinctive field marks are its large size, dark plumage with white spots, and its unique sexual dimorphism: males display a rufous breast band with a white ...
Found along rivers, estuaries, lakes, and coastal lagoons, this species prefers areas with clear water and overhanging vegetation for perching. It inhabits a wide range of elevations from sea level up to 2,500 meters in some mountainous regions.
Their diet primarily consists of fish, crabs, and large aquatic insects, supplemented by frogs and tadpoles. They are expert plunge-divers, catching prey by diving headfirst into the water.
Giant Kingfishers are diurnal and typically solitary or found in pairs, often perching motionlessly for extended periods while scanning for prey. Their primary foraging strategy involves plunge-diving headfirst into the water from a high perch, or occasionally hovering before a dive, to capture f...
The Giant Kingfisher is widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal and Gambia in the west, eastward to Ethiopia and Somalia, and south through the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, and Zambia, down to South Africa. While widespread, its distribution is often patchy, favoring a...
Least Concern
- The Giant Kingfisher is the largest kingfisher found on the continent of Africa. - Unlike many bird species, the female Giant Kingfisher is more brightly colored on her belly than the male, with a rufous underbelly compared to the male's rufous breast band. - It can plunge-dive from heights of ...