The Green Kingfisher

A Green Kingfisher is a fun bird to see while bird watching. Below are some tips to help you identify Green Kingfishers. We have also put together a list of fun Green Kingfisher t-shirts, Green Kingfisher bird patches, birdhouses, bird feeders, binoculars, stickers, and other fun bird-watching items.

About Green Kingfishers

The Green Kingfisher is a small oddly shaped bird with the body of a sparrow and a bill of a heron. They live along rivers and other freshwater sources near the Mexican border. It flies upstream and downstream with fast wing beats coming close to the water surface.

Description and Identification

Green Kingfishers have inherited the typical Kingfisher features of small bodies along
with long bills. But unlike other species of Kingfishers, the Green Kingfishers do not
sport the traditional blue and gray plumage. Adult males boast green upperparts which
are broken by spots of white. Their breasts are covered in bright rufous colored bands
along with flanks featured with green spots. They also feature green coloring on the
crown along with long and dark bills. Adult females can be distinguished by two green
bands on their breasts featuring at the edges of buff-white underparts. Juveniles appear
similar to the female but have duller coloration and buff spots along their wing coverts
and crown. The shades of green can vary from bright forest green to an oily green.

Green Kingfisher Color Pattern

They are blue-gray with white spots on their wings and tails. They also have white underparts with a broad blue band on its breast.  Females, on the other hand, have rusty broad bands on their breasts.

Green Kingfisher Size

The sexes vary only in weight, with the female weighing more than males. Adult green Kingfishers have standard measurements of:

• Length 20 cm
• Weight for males 29 – 40 g
• Weight for females 33 – 55 g

Green Kingfisher Behavior

Green Kingfishers breed in mangrove forests and along stream and river banks. The bird fishes by observing small fish swimming close to the water surface. When prey is spotted the green kingfisher dives into the water to take the fish using its bill.

Green Kingfisher Food

Living in regions near water, Green Kingfishers primarily feed on small fishes, prawns
, and crustaceans swimming close to the surface of water bodies. When fishes and other
aquatic animals are scarce, they tend to feed on small water insects and dragonflies.
They are also known to prey on grasshoppers and small lizards on rare occasions.
Green Kingfishers perch on low-hanging vegetation adjacent to water bodies or small
rocks emerging from the water. They tend to spot their prey from these sites. Once prey is spotted, they sally down and plunge headfirst into the water in one swift motion,
catching the prey by surprise.

The main source of nutrition for the green kingfisher is mostly made up of fish, occasionally feeding on aquatic insects. They get hydration mostly from the fish they feed on. The Green Kingfisher beats its prey on a near-surface and feeds on them digesting the bones and scales.

Green Kingfisher Habitat

Similar to other species of Kingfishers, Green Kingfisher habitats are largely associated
with water. They inhabit areas near rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, flooded woodlands,
marshes, coastal lagoons, as well as small pools of water. They tend to favor areas with
dense or moderate vegetation around the banks as low perches that are in close vicinity
to water can be found here.

They permanently reside in the western mountains of North America with rare movements north of the range. During the winter they still inhabit similar areas including swamps and lagoons of Central America.

Range and Migration

Green Kingfishers are native to Central America, South America, and parts of the
The United States. In Central America they are known to inhabit Mexico, Colombia, and
Venezuela. They also cover the majority of South America, inhabiting countries such as
Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. In the United States, their habitats
are limited to the Southernmost parts of the states of Texas and Arizona. Green
Kingfishers are sedentary birds and tend to stay in and around their region of choice
throughout the year. Like other Kingfishers, Green Kingfishers favor locales near water
bodies to inhabit.

Green Kingfisher Lifecycle

Green Kingfisher nests are horizontal dug by the pair in a river ban. The female Green Kingfisher lays 3 to 6 eggs which she incubates during the night and by both birds during the day. The chicks flee the nest 27 days after hatching. 

Green Kingfisher Nesting

The nesting season for Green Kingfishers varies from region to region. Similar to other
species of Kingfishers, Green Kingfishers build their nests close to the ground. Their
nests are tunnels dug by both males and females. They are territorial in regard to their
nesting sites and maintain distance from other Green Kingfisher nests. The entrance to
their nests is generally hidden by vegetation and can be difficult to spot. The females lay
between 3-6 eggs which are incubated by both the parents. The hatchlings leave the
nests approximately 27 days after hatching and are fed by both parents, in certain
cases after leaving the nest as well.

Ornithology

Bird Watching Academy & Camp Subscription Boxes

At Bird Watching Academy & Camp we help kids, youth, and adults get excited and involved in bird watching. We have several monthly subscription boxes that you can subscribe to. Our monthly subscription boxes help kids, youth, and adults learn about birds, bird watching, and bird conservation.

Bird Watching Binoculars for Identifying Green Kingfishers

The most common types of bird watching binoculars for viewing Green Kingfishers are 8×21 binoculars and 10×42 binoculars. Bird Watching Academy & Camp sells really nice 8×21 binoculars and 10×42 binoculars. You can view and purchase them here.

Green Kingfisher T-shirts

If you love the Green Kingfisher you should purchase a Bird Watching Academy & Camp T-shirt. To help support bird conservation we donate 10 percent to bird conservation activities.

Green Kingfisher Iron On Patches

Kids, Youth, and Adults love to collect our Bird Watching Academy & Camp iron-on patches. Our bird-watching patches help you keep track of the birds you have seen and identified. You can also display the patches on our Bird Watching Academy & Camp banners.

The Green Kingfisher is a great iron-on patch to start your collection with. The patches are durable and can be sewn on or ironed on to just about anything.

Green Kingfisher Stickers

Stickers are a great way for you to display your love for bird watching and the Green Kingfisher. We sell a monthly subscription sticker pack. The sticker packs have 12 bird stickers. These sticker packs will help your kids learn new birds every month.

Bird Feeders for Green Kingfisher

There are many types of bird feeders. Here are our favorite bird feeders for your backyard. We use all of these bird feeders currently. Kids will have a great time watching birds eat at these bird feeders. Using this collection of bird feeders will provide a wide variety and many types of birds.

Best Bird Houses for Green Kingfisher

There are many types of birdhouses. Building a birdhouse is always fun but can be frustrating. These 4 birdhouses have become our favorites. Getting a birdhouse for kids to watch birds grow is always fun. We spent a little extra money on these birdhouses but they have been worth the higher price and look great.