Malachite Kingfisher - Juvenile (Corythornis cristatus)

Conservation status: Vulnerable

The malachite kingfisher, scientific name Corythornis cristatus is a river kingfisher that is broadly distributed in Africa south of the Sahara. It’s a large resident apart from seasonal climate-related actions. This species is frequent to reeds and aquatic vegetation close to slow-moving water or ponds. It happens all through Sub-Saharan Africa apart from the very arid elements of Somalia, Kenya, Namibia, and Botswana. The flight of the malachite kingfisher is fast, with the brief, rounded wings whirring till they seem a mere blur. It normally flies low over the water. It is a small kingfisher, around 13 cm (5.1 in) in size. In Southern Africa, the reference dimension is 14cm, and in East Africa and Ethiopia, 12cm. The final shade of the higher elements of the grownup fowl is brilliant metallic blue.