Large kingfisher with massive black bill. Bronze-green head, upperparts, and tail. White throat and broad white neck collar. Has broad green streaks on the flanks. Male has large chestnut patch across chest; female shows thick but usually broken green breast band. In flight, shows white underwings and minimal white spotting above wings and on tail. Similar in appearance to the much smaller Green Kingfisher, which has conspicuous white barring on the wings and tail.

Length: 30 (cm) Wingspan: (cm)

Habitat:

Prefers open lagoons, lakes, or slow-moving rivers. Less likely to be found along thickly vegetated stream banks than smaller kingfishers. Unlike Green Kingfisher, not found at higher elevations.

Behavior:

Found singularly or in pairs. Nests in tunnels excavated in river banks.

Feeding:

Feeds on fish and crustaceans. Hunts from a perch or occasionally hovers over its prey before diving head-first into the water.