Halcyon senegalensis2025-06-11T05:35:57+00:00

Halcyon senegalensis | Woodland Kingfisher | Bosveldvisvanger

Modimolle, Dec 2021

Kamonande, Dec 2021

Modimolle, Dec 2017

Modimolle, Dec 2017
The two colour-ringed birds here, male on the left, female on the right, have returned to the same garden for the past 7 and 6 years respectively. In 2012 they were caught and fitted with geolocators (micro trackers) and their migration was followed, the male spending the winter in South Sudan and the female in Central African Republic, about 500 km west of the male. In their years together they have reared 16 young.

The story of their migration

A recent article published in The Lark No. 29 bringing their story up to date
Breeding and other behaviour of Woodland Kingfisher  

Modimolle, Dec 2019
This is the red-ringed female who has returned for the 8th (2019/2020) year and is once again breeding in the same nest box.

A breeding summer visitor, present between Nov and Mar. Common and conspicuous, given its extreme vocal activity on arrival from its winter quarters, it occurs widely across the Waterberg; less frequently in the surrounding thorn savanna (66% in, 34% out; recorded in 73% of the Waterberg pentads). In pairs, it favours open woodland with a shortly cropped grass substrate. Breeds in mid-summer.