Malagasy kingfisher


The Malagasy kingfisher or Madagascar kingfisher is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae that is found in Madagascar, Mayotte and the Comoros. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.
The Malagasy kingfisher was formally described by the French naturalists Joseph Eydoux and Paul Gervais in 1836 and given the binomial name Alcedo vintsioides. It is closely related to the malachite kingfisher which is widely distributed in mainland Africa. It is one of only two kingfishers that occur in Madagascar. The other is the Madagascan pygmy kingfisher.
There are two subspecies:
The Malagasy kingfisher is in length with a weight of. It has dark blue upperparts, rufous underparts and a crested blue-and-green-barred crown. The bill is black. The sexes are alike. The blue plumage of the race C. v. johannae is paler and greener than that of the nominate.

Gallery