African dwarf kingfisher

This article discusses the African dwarf kingfisher, which is distinct from the Oriental dwarf kingfisher.

{{Speciesbox

| name = African dwarf kingfisher

| image = African Dwarf Kingfisher imported from iNaturalist photo 63245166.jpg

| image_caption =

| image2 = Ispidina lecontei by John Gerrard Keulemans.jpg

| range_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|from=African dwarf kingfisher range.map}}

| range_map_caption = IUCN range

| range_map2 = Martin-pêcheur à tête rousse - Habitat.jpg

| image2_caption = illustration by John Gerrard Keulemans

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2016 |title=Ispidina lecontei |volume=2016 |page=e.T22683174A92977587 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22683174A92977587.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}

| genus = Ispidina

| species = lecontei

| authority = Cassin, 1856

| synonyms = *Ceyx lecontei{{cite web |url=https://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id23648/ |title=Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx lecontei) (Cassin, 1856) |publisher=Biolib.cz |access-date=December 22, 2012}}

}}

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.{{ cite journal | last=Cassin | first=John | author-link=John Cassin | year=1856 | title=Descriptions of new species of African birds, in the Museum of Academy of Natural Sciences, of Philadelphia, collected by Mr. P.B. Du Chaillu, in Equatorial Africa | journal=Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia | volume=8 | pages=156–159 [158] | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/1935213 }}

There are two subspecies:{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | year=2017 | title=Rollers, ground rollers & kingfishers | work=World Bird List Version 7.2 | url=http://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/rollers/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union |access-date=17 May 2017 }}

I. l. ruficeps Hartlaub, 1857 – Sierra Leone to Ghana, west of the Dahomey gap in the rainforest.{{Cite web|title=Details : African Dwarf Kingfisher - BirdGuides|url=https://www.birdguides.com/Species-Guide/ioc/ispidina-lecontei|access-date=2021-07-20|website=www.birdguides.com}}{{ cite journal | last=Dickerman | first=R.W. | year=1993 | title=On the validity of Ceyx (Myioceyx) lecontei ruficeps | journal=Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club | volume=113 | issue=4 | pages=255–257 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40028374 }}
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 {{convert|10|cm}} and a weight of {{convert|9|-|12|g}}.{{cite book | last1=Fry | first1=C. Hilary| last2=Fry | first2=Kathie| last3=Harris | first3=Alan | year=1992 | title=Kingfishers, Bee-eaters, and Rollers| publisher=Christopher Helm | location=London | isbn=978-0-7136-8028-7 | pages=195–196 }}

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.

References

African dwarf kingfisher

Category:Birds of the African tropical rainforest

African dwarf kingfisher

Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot