About Pelargopsis capensis (Linnaeus, 1766)
This species, commonly known as the stork-billed kingfisher, is a very large kingfisher that reaches 35 cm (14 inches) in total length. Adult individuals have a green back, blue wings and tail, and an olive-brown head. Their underparts and neck are buff colored, and their unusually large bill and legs are a bright, striking red. Their flight pattern uses heavy, flapping wingbeats, but travels in a straight, direct path. Male and female kingfishers of this species have identical plumage. Thirteen different subspecies, or races, are currently recognized, most of which differ only in small details of their feather coloration. One exception is the subspecies P. c. gigantea, found in the Sulu Archipelago of the Philippines, which has completely white head, neck, and underparts.
