Round the Bend April 2014 | Page 37

presents - the Woodlands Kingfisher

ward-winning photographer Chris Krog amazes us again with his visual gems. The Woodlands Kingfisher has a bright blue back, wing panel and tail. Its head, neck and underparts are white, and its shoulders are black. The flight of the Woodlands Kingfisher is rapid and direct. The large bill has a red upper mandible and black lower mandible.

The breast of the Woodlands Kingfisher is white. The sexes are similar, but juveniles are duller than adults and have a brown bill.

The Woodlands Kingfisher is widely distributed in tropical Africa south of the Sahara and from Pretoria northwards. It is a species common to a variety of wooded habitats with trees, especially Acacias, including around human habitation. Although it is a "Kingfisher", it prefers drier habitats in more traditional woodland and can be far from water.

chris krog - from behind the lens

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