Green kingfisher

The Green Kingfisher is a small bird found from southern Texas in the United States to central Argentina in South America. These birds prefer breeding near streams in forests or mangroves, where they excavate horizontal tunnels for their nests. Both the male and female contribute to the nest construction. The female typically lays three to six white eggs.

Green Kingfishers are renowned for their hunting prowess. They frequently perch near water and dive headfirst to catch fish, and they also consume aquatic insects. There are five subspecies of the Green Kingfisher, which vary in bill size and distribution. First described in 1788, these birds belong to the genus Chloroceryle.

Measuring about 20 cm in length, the Green Kingfisher shares many typical features of the kingfisher family. Males have an emerald green upper body with white markings, while females have buff-white underparts with green chest bands. During the breeding season, both parents take turns incubating the eggs, and the chicks usually fledge about 27 days after hatching.

One of the distinctive sounds of the Green Kingfisher is its pebbly rattling call, which aids in its identification in the wild.