About Halcyon albiventris (Scopoli, 1786)
The brown-hooded kingfisher, with the scientific name Halcyon albiventris (Scopoli, 1786), reaches approximately 22 cm (8.7 in) in total length. It has a brown head marked with blackish streaks. A broad buffy collar sits above its brownish-black mantle. Most of its wing coverts are brownish-black, while its secondary flight feathers are turquoise. Its rump is azure-blue. On its underparts, the chin is white, the breast is tawny with scattered dark streaks, and the belly is buffy. This species has a red beak with a brown tip, carmine-colored legs, and dark brown eyes. Females have dark brown upperparts, and their underparts have more prominent streaking than those of males. Juvenile brown-hooded kingfishers have duller overall plumage, with scalloped whitish underparts. Different subspecies of this kingfisher vary in plumage shade and the intensity of streaking. This species is native to Sub-Saharan Africa, where it has been recorded in Gabon, Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Somalia, Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Eswatini. It is found at elevations below 1,800 m (5,900 ft), and occupies a range of habitats including woodland, tree-dotted grassland, scrubland, and forest edges. It also lives in cultivated areas, parks, and gardens. It is sometimes found near water, and can successfully adapt to suburban habitats. The majority of this species' populations are non-migratory, but there is documented evidence of seasonal movements in some populations.
