The vivid Blue-breasted Kingfisher (Halcyon malimbica) lives in tropical woods in West and Central Africa. The Blue-breasted Kingfisher has a chestnut-brown head, blue band across its chest, and bright blue back, wings, and tail.

The bird’s huge red bill and white throat enhance its appearance. This kingfisher spends much of its time foraging for food in deep forests near rivers, streams, and marshes.

The vivid Blue-breasted Kingfisher (Halcyon malimbica) lives in tropical woods in West and Central Africa. The Blue-breasted Kingfisher has a chestnut-brown head, blue band across its chest, and bright blue back, wings, and tail. The bird’s huge red bill and white throat enhance its appearance. This kingfisher spends much of its time foraging for food in deep forests near rivers, streams, and marshes.

The Blue-breasted Kingfisher breeds during the rainy season, depending on its location. Tree cavities, termite mounds, and riverside burrows are their nesting sites. Both parents incubate 2-4 eggs from the female. The altricial chicks birth blind and helpless, relying on their parents for food and protection until they can fly. This kingfisher is not threatened, but deforestation threatens its numbers, underlining the need for forest protection in its area.