The white-bellied kingfisher is a species of kingfisher in the subfamily Alcedininae that occurs in parts of equatorial west Africa. The first formal description of the species was by the British zoologist Louis Fraser in 1843 under the binomial name Halcyon leucogaster.
Region
West and Central Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs patchily in lowland evergreen and swamp forests from parts of West Africa east into Central Africa. It favors narrow, shaded forest streams, oxbows, and quiet backwaters with dense overhanging vegetation. Birds keep close to cover and rarely venture into open waterways. It can persist in selectively logged forest if riparian vegetation remains intact, but avoids heavily degraded areas.
Altitude Range
0–1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A tiny, forest-dwelling kingfisher, it keeps to shaded streams deep within West and Central African rainforests. It often sits low over the water, darting out to snatch prey with a quick plunge. Because it requires intact riparian forest, its presence can indicate healthy, undisturbed habitats. It is shy and easily overlooked despite its vivid blue upperparts.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats along shaded streams
Social Behavior
Usually encountered singly or in pairs holding linear territories along forest streams. Pairs nest in burrows excavated in earthen banks or root tangles near water. Both sexes likely share incubation and chick-rearing duties, keeping activity discreet within dense cover.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are sharp, high-pitched whistles and thin piping notes, often given in short series. Calls carry along streams but are brief and infrequent, aiding contact between mates in dense forest.
Plumage
Glossy cobalt-blue upperparts and crown with a clean white throat, breast, and belly; small, compact kingfisher with short tail. The wings and back are bright blue, contrasting with the white underparts. Bill is straight and dagger-like, typically dark, and legs are bright orange-red.
Diet
Takes aquatic and semi-aquatic invertebrates such as dragonfly larvae, aquatic beetles, and other insects, and occasionally small fish or tadpoles. Hunts from low perches over still or slow-moving water, making rapid, shallow dives. Prey is typically swallowed whole after being subdued on the perch.
Preferred Environment
Feeds along shaded forest creeks, pools, and swamp-forest channels with overhanging vegetation. Often selects perches just above the water surface, including exposed roots, low branches, or emergent sticks.
