© Ian Davies
© Riaan Marais
© Tommy Pedersen

Gray-headed Kingfisher Halcyon leucocephala

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Identification

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A medium-sized kingfisher with a distinctive chestnut belly, sapphire blue tail and flight feathers, ashy-gray head and breast, and vermillion bill. Pairs inhabit dry and moist woodland, especially riverine woodland; has been known to breed in riverbanks. It has complex movements and is a migrant in the southern part of its range. Calls a strident trilling “t-t-t-t-t-t-t”, although this can be weaker and less obtrusive than other kingfishers; also calls a repeated, squeaky “tsury, tsury”.

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