Woodland Kingfisher Halcyon senegalensis Scientific name definitions

23 cm; male 41–60 g, female 55–64 g, in S Africa 60–81 g. Medium-sized kingfisher. Both sexes nominate race greyish crown, black lores, blue hindneck, upperparts and tail, black wings with blue bases of flight-feathers; underparts greyish-white; red upper mandible , black lower mandible; iris dark brown; legs and feet reddish-black. Distinguished from H. malimbica by blue back, from similar H. senegaloides by black lower mandible. Juvenile buff wash with fine black barring on face and underparts, blackish bill. Race <em>fuscopilea</em> smaller, darker, crown dark brown-grey, breast and mantle greyer; cyanoleuca larger, crown paler, black wedge behind eye, some birds in Malawi with red patches on lower mandible.

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Woodland, riverine forest, wooded areas around human dwellings, and forest clearings and edges; in savanna avoids closed cover, preferring open woodland, farmland, parks and large gardens; in S Africa, particularly common in riverine woodland where the grass understorey is heavily grazed. From sea-level to 1500 m, occasionally to 2000 m.

Populations in equatorial forest (<em>fuscopilea</em> ) sedentary; savanna populations also sedentary to about 8° N & S of equator, beyond which they become progressively more migratory. In Nigeria resident in S forest and savannas, and visits N savannas (N of 9–10° N) from Apr–May to Nov, the Sahelian savannas in Jun–Sept, and to 17° N in Chad and Mali from Jul–Aug to Oct. In S Africa a breeding migrant from Oct–Nov to Apr, spending austral winter in equatorial Africa, and part of population crosses L Victoria Basin to winter in Sudan; on the central plateau in Zimbabwe only a passage migrant, in Nov and Apr. Migrates at night, solitarily or in loose groups.

Insects, mainly grasshoppers and locusts (Orthoptera, Acrididae), beetles (Buprestidae, Carabidae, Cerambycidae, Cetoniidae, Cicindelidae, Tenebrionidae), and also dragonflies (Odonata), cicadas (Cicadidae), cockroaches (Blattodea), mantises (Mantodea), moths and butterflies, larvae, ants (Formicidae) and termites (Isoptera); other arthropods including scorpions (Scorpiones), centipedes (Chilopoda), millipedes (Diplopoda); also shrimps and crabs, fish, frogs , lizards (Agamidae), snakes, small passerine birds (Lonchura, Quelea), and small mammals (Muridae). In N Ghana, grasshoppers comprised 90% of diet, and 59% of dives were successful; estimated food intake 26 grasshoppers per day. Spends much time perched in semi-shade, with occasional head-bobbing or tail-wagging, scanning for food; average height of perch above ground 2·6 m; swoops down to catch item on or near ground, then carries it back to perch. From a high perch gently spirals down until 3 m above ground, then dives on prey; occasionally flies horizontally from perch and briefly hovers before diving on prey; will also plunge into shallow water for fish. Large food items are held crossways in bill, and bashed on perch before being swallowed. Alate termites are caught in flight.

Single sharp “tiu” followed by loud fast trill lasting 2–3 seconds, slowing and falling slightly towards end, “trrrrrrrrrr”, usually repeated 10 times (up to 40) at intervals of 5–10 seconds, often continual “tirrrrr-tirrrrr-tirrrrr-tirrrrr” by pair flying around territory boundaries; alarm harsh screech, “kee-kee-kee-kee-kee”; greeting call “chowaa-rr... chowaa-rr”, at the nest soft mellow “chirr-chirr”, and “ki-kaw” squawk.

Lays in Mar–Sept, possibly also Oct, and Dec in N tropics, in Aug–Feb in Zaire, in Nov–Feb in Rwanda, in Nov–Dec in Zambia, in Dec–Jan in Malawi, in Nov–Jan in Zimbabwe and Mozambique, and in Oct–Mar in South Africa; sometimes double-brooded. Strongly territorial, chases off other hole-nesting birds, and raptors and humans. Display from tall tree, trilling with bill up and half-open, suddenly opening wings wide and pivoting body from side to side, display lasting 1–2 (up to 7) seconds, can be repeated 15 times, in intense display tail fanned and cocked; pair-members usually face each other and sing in duet, spreading wings, sometimes moving to show front and rear of wings alternately; circling display-flight 15–20 m above ground with constant trilling calls may be territorial or for courtship; in courtship feeding female sits motionless, hunched, while male brings food, sometimes they touch bills without transferring food. Nest 1·5–9 m (average 5 m) above ground, generally in tree hole, often old nest of barbet (Capitonidae), woodpecker (Picidae), starling (Sturnidae) or H. albiventris, occasionally in nestbox, under house eaves, in arboreal termite nest, or in nest of Little Swift (Apus affinis); on rare occasions makes own nest-hollow, by flying at tree trunk and striking it with the bill; entrance hole 4–6 cm in diameter, nest-cavity 20–25 cm deep; same nest-hole occasionally used for up to 4 years. Clutch 2–4 eggs, usually 3; sometimes replacement laid if first clutch lost; both sexes incubate during day, but only female at night, incubation period 13–14 days; young fed by both parents, with a peak of feeding in early morning and mid-afternoon, nestling period 15–24 days; juveniles remain with adults for 5 weeks post-fledging.

Not globally threatened. Widespread and common in many parts of its range. Is able to breed in cleared areas, provided some large trees remain. Migrants are often killed at windows at night. Has bred successfully in captivity.