Malachite Kingfisher
African Pygmy Kingfisher
Within Dovela’s environment we find 6 different species of Kingfishers:
3 of them are always found on the edge of Dongane’s lake because they eat fish: the Malachite Kingfisher (Alcedo cristata, 14cm), the Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis, 25cm) and the Giant kingfisher (Megaceryle maxima, 44cm).
2 are found in the village because they eat insects: the Brown-hooded Kingfischer (Halcyon albiventris, 23cm) and the Striped kingfisher (Halcyon chelicuti, 18cm).
And the last one, the smallest one (our favorite), also eat insects but is found in the coastal forest: the African Pygmy Kingfisher (ispidina picta, 13cm).
Identification keys for Malachite Kingfisher (on the left) is the blue eye-brow whereas the African Pygmy Kingfisher (on the right) has a broad orange eye-brow and a pinkish-violet patch behind eye.
They both also eat frogs, lizard and small snake, are monogamous and lay eggs in a burrow excavated by both sexes into earthbank.
The Malachite Kingfisher is a permanent resident while the African Pygmy Kingfisher is an intra African migrant, present sept-Mar but some juveniles overwinter.