X-Nico

unusual facts about Giant Kingfisher



Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve

Among the colourful family of kingfishers, who preferably occur near open water, the Woodland Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis), Swallow-tailed Bee-eater (Merops hirundineus), Giant Kingfisher (Ceryle maxima), Malachite Kingfisher (Alcedo cristata) and the Blue-breasted Kingfisher (Halcyon malimbica) are notable.

Megaceryle

They have dark grey or bluish-grey upperparts, largely unmarked in the two American species, but heavily spotted with white in the Asian Crested Kingfisher and the African Giant Kingfisher.


see also

Water kingfisher

Not longer than 5 million years ago - possibly as recently as 2.9 million years ago -, an Old World giant kingfisher became the ancestor of the Belted and Ringed Kingfishers, and later, another species related to the Pied Kingfisher became the ancestor of the Chloroceryle green kingfishers after colonizing the Americas.