Pied Kingfisher
Ceryle rudis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderCoraciiformes (Rollers, Kingfishers, and Allies)
- FamilyAlcedinidae (Kingfishers)
- GenusCeryle
- SpeciesCeryle rudis (Pied Kingfisher)
The pied kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) is a species of water kingfisher widely distributed across Africa and Asia. Originally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, it has five recognised subspecies, and is the only member of the genus Ceryle. Its black-and white-plumage and crest, as well as its habit of hovering over clear lakes and rivers before diving for fish, make it distinctive. Males have a double band across the breast, while females have a single broken breast band. They are usually found in pairs or small family groups. When perched, they often bob their heads and flick up their tails. Wikipedia →
20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Pied Kingfisher sighting in Awash National Park, based on 34 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Awash National Park
Striped Kingfisher
Halcyon chelicuti
Gray-headed Kingfisher
Halcyon leucocephala
Woodland Kingfisher
Halcyon senegalensis
African Pygmy-Kingfisher
Ispidina picta
Malachite Kingfisher
Corythornis cristatus
Giant Kingfisher
Megaceryle maxima
Abyssinian Roller
Coracias abyssinicus
Northern Carmine Bee-eater
Merops nubicus
Little Bee-eater
Merops pusillus
Rufous-crowned Roller
Coracias naevius
Whitethroated Bee-eater
Merops albicollis
Madagascar Bee-eater
Merops superciliosus
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Pied Kingfisher in Awash National Park?
About 29% of wildlife watchers report a Pied Kingfisher sighting in Awash National Park, based on 34 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Pied Kingfisher in Awash National Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for Pied Kingfisher in Awash National Park in our monthly data.