Alcedinidae

Also known as river kingfishers, kingfishers, kingfisher

thumb|The paradise kingfishers of New Guinea have unusually long tails for the group. thumb|right|The kookaburra has a call which sounds like laughter. thumb|Like many forest-living kingfishers, the yellow-billed kingfisher often nests in arboreal termite nests. thumb|The black-backed dwarf kingfisher is considered a bad omen by warriors of the Dusun tribe of Borneo. thumb|Forest kingfisher in [[Queensland ]]

AI overview

Alcedinidae is the family of birds known as kingfishers, which includes diverse species like paradise kingfishers with long tails, kookaburras with distinctive calls, and various forest-dwelling types that nest in termite mounds. These birds matter because they are found across different regions and ecosystems, and they hold cultural significance for some indigenous peoples while also serving as indicators of forest health.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Species

kingfishers

Alcedinidae

FAMILY

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassAves
OrderCoraciiformes
FamilyAlcedinidae

Habitatmarine, brackish, freshwater

Observations recorded16,380,667

via GBIF

Wikidata facts

Image: SL Bundala NP asv2020-01 img20.jpg

Show 4 more facts

taxon name: Alcedinidae
Commons category: Alcedinidae
Commons gallery: Alcedinidae
taxon common name: vodomci

Sources (2)

via Wikidata · CC0

~16 min read

Article

11 sections

Contents

Taxonomy, systematics and evolution
Description
Distribution and habitat
Behaviour and ecology
Diet and feeding
Breeding
Status and conservation
Relationship with humans
References
Sources
External links

Kingfishers are a family, the Alcedinidae, of small to medium-sized, brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution: most species live in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, but they can also be found in Europe and the Americas. They can be found in deep forests near calm ponds and small rivers. The family contains 118 species and is divided into three subfamilies and 19 genera. All kingfishers have large heads, long, sharp, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. Most species have bright plumage with only small differences between the sexes. Most species are tropical in distribution, and a slight majority are found only in forests.