Malachite kingfisher

Description:

This little (approx 13-14cm in length) flying gem is an aquatic kingfisher, easily distinguished by a turquoise-and-black barred crown extending down to the eye. It has mainly blue upperparts and orange to rufous underparts, sporting white chin and ears. The adult (portrayed here) sports a bright red long and typically kingfisher shaped bill.

Habitat:

Malachite kingfisher is a common sub-saharan African species. This is an aquatic bird, thriving in reeds and rank vegetation near slow moving water or ponds, where it feeds on small fish, frogs and tadpoles, aquatic insects and crabs. Here, seen this fella on dunes of a temporary sandy island on river Congo, somewhere between Kinshasa and Brazzaville. In that season, many temporary islands form on Congo near Kinshasa; and they become a paradise for a birdwatcher...

Notes:

Some newer literature places this species in a new (?) genus, Corythornis - I kept the old names of genus, Alcedo,the one I'm used to use and the one I find it in all of my field books... There are five recognized sub-species but I can't say how they are distinguished; judging by the range, this spotting should be A. cristata cristatus.