Malagasy kingfisher
Corythornis vintsioides
Avilumen editorial team ·
The Malagasy kingfisher or Madagascar kingfisher is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae that is found in Madagascar, Mayotte and the Comoros. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.
The Malagasy kingfisher or Madagascar kingfisher (Corythornis vintsioides) is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae that is found in Madagascar, Mayotte and the Comoros. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.
The Malagasy kingfisher was formally described by the French naturalists Joseph Eydoux and Paul Gervais in 1836 and given the binomial name Alcedo vintsioides. It is closely related to the malachite kingfisher (Corythornis cristatus) which is widely distributed in mainland Africa. It is one of only two kingfishers that occur in Madagascar. The other is the Madagascar pygmy kingfisher (Corythornis madagascariensis).
There are two subspecies:
C. v. johannae Meinertzhagen, R., 1924 – Comoro Islands
C. v. vintsioides (Eydoux & Gervais, 1836) – Madagascar
The Malagasy kingfisher is 13 cm (5.1 in) in length with a weight of 16.5 to 22 g (0.58 to 0.78 oz). It has dark blue upperparts, rufous underparts and a crested blue-and-green-barred crown. The bill is black. The sexes are alike. The blue plumage of the race C. v. johannae is paler and greener than that of the nominate.
Text adapted from Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Family
- Alcedinidae
- Genus
- Corythornis
- Conservation status
- Least concern
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Illustration gallery
6 illustrations of Corythornis vintsioides (Malagasy kingfisher) in different styles, true to its real plumage. Shown watermarked; the art pack includes the high-resolution originals, ready to print.
Watercolor 
Vintage plate 
Ink 
Oil 
Realistic 
Colored pencil
Illustrations based on the photograph by Frank Vassen (CC BY 2.0), from Wikimedia Commons.
Digital editions
HD Digital Art Pack — Malagasy kingfisher
Digital download: 6 high-resolution illustrations of the Malagasy kingfisher (Corythornis vintsioides), print-ready. This is a digital file; no animal or physical item is included.
AI Avatar — Malagasy kingfisher
Generate an avatar fusing your face with the Malagasy kingfisher (Corythornis vintsioides). Delivered digitally in 8K, watermark-free. Digital product; no animals are sold or brokered.
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Corythornis vintsioides (Malagasy kingfisher) endangered?
- The IUCN Red List places Corythornis vintsioides, commonly known as the Malagasy kingfisher, in the «Least concern» category. «Least concern» means it is not currently threatened.
- Where does Corythornis vintsioides (Malagasy kingfisher) live?
- Corythornis vintsioides (Malagasy kingfisher) is found in Africa.
- What family does Corythornis vintsioides (Malagasy kingfisher) belong to?
- Corythornis vintsioides (Malagasy kingfisher) belongs to the family Alcedinidae, in the order Coraciiformes.
- What colour is Corythornis vintsioides (Malagasy kingfisher)?
- The plumage of Corythornis vintsioides (Malagasy kingfisher) combines these colours: Blue.
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