African dwarf kingfisher
Ispidina lecontei
Avilumen editorial team ·
The African dwarf kingfisher is a species of kingfisher in the Alcedininae subfamily.
This article discusses the African dwarf kingfisher, which is distinct from the Oriental dwarf kingfisher.
The African dwarf kingfisher (Ispidina lecontei) is a species of kingfisher in the Alcedininae subfamily.
Taxonomy
The African dwarf kingfisher was described in 1856 by the American ornithologist John Cassin from a specimen collected by Paul Du Chaillu. Cassin introduced the current binomial name Ispidina lecontei. The specific epithet was chosen in honour of the entomologist John Lawrence LeConte.
There are two subspecies:
I. l. ruficeps Hartlaub, 1857 – Sierra Leone to Ghana, west of the Dahomey gap in the rainforest.
I. l. lecontei Cassin, 1856 – south Nigeria to west South Sudan, Uganda and central Democratic Republic of the Congo; central Angola.
Description
This is the world's smallest kingfisher with a length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) and a weight of 9–12 grams (0.32–0.42 oz).
Distribution
It inhabits African rainforests and is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Uganda.
Text adapted from Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Where it lives
Plumage colours
Taxonomy
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Family
- Alcedinidae
- Genus
- Ispidina
- Conservation status
- Least concern
Listen to its call
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Illustration gallery
6 illustrations of Ispidina lecontei (African dwarf 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 (c) William Stephens, some rights reserved (CC BY) (CC BY 4.0), from Wikimedia Commons.
Digital editions
HD Digital Art Pack — African dwarf kingfisher
Digital download: 6 high-resolution illustrations of the African dwarf kingfisher (Ispidina lecontei), print-ready. This is a digital file; no animal or physical item is included.
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Ispidina lecontei (African dwarf kingfisher) endangered?
- The IUCN Red List places Ispidina lecontei, commonly known as the African dwarf kingfisher, in the «Least concern» category. «Least concern» means it is not currently threatened.
- Where does Ispidina lecontei (African dwarf kingfisher) live?
- Ispidina lecontei (African dwarf kingfisher) is found in Africa.
- What family does Ispidina lecontei (African dwarf kingfisher) belong to?
- Ispidina lecontei (African dwarf kingfisher) belongs to the family Alcedinidae, in the order Coraciiformes.
- What colour is Ispidina lecontei (African dwarf kingfisher)?
- The plumage of Ispidina lecontei (African dwarf kingfisher) combines these colours: Multicoloured.
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