Chloroceryle americana
The Green Kingfisher (Chloroceryle americana) is a petite and remarkably agile denizen of clear, slow-moving waterways throughout the Americas. Averaging 19-21 cm in length and weighing 28-42 grams, this small kingfisher boasts iridescent dark green upperparts, a crisp white collar, and a pristine white belly. Its most striking field mark, and a key identifier for sexual dimorphism, is the breast band: males exhibit a broad rufous band, while females display a green-spotted white band across ...
Primarily found along the banks of clear, slow-moving rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes, as well as mangrove estuaries and irrigation ditches, from sea level up to 2000 meters in elevation.
Primarily piscivorous, feeding on small fish, but also consuming aquatic insects, tadpoles, and crustaceans, caught by swift dives from a low perch.
Green Kingfishers are diurnal and typically solitary, spending much of their day perched low over water, scanning for prey. Their primary foraging strategy is a "perch-and-pounce" technique, where they dive headfirst into the water to snatch fish or aquatic insects, often returning to the same or...
The Green Kingfisher boasts an extensive and largely continuous distribution across the Americas, ranging from the southern United States (primarily south-central Texas) through Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean slopes, extending deep into South America down to central Argentina. It is a...
Least Concern
- The Green Kingfisher is the smallest kingfisher species found in the Americas, often appearing no larger than a sparrow from a distance. - Males are easily distinguished from females by their striking rufous (reddish-brown) breast band, while females have a green-spotted white breast band. - Th...