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 →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Pied Kingfisher sighting in Samburu National Reserve, based on 100 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Samburu National Reserve
Gray-headed Kingfisher
Halcyon leucocephala
Striped Kingfisher
Halcyon chelicuti
Malachite Kingfisher
Corythornis cristatus
African Pygmy-Kingfisher
Ispidina picta
Little Bee-eater
Merops pusillus
Whitethroated Bee-eater
Merops albicollis
Lilac-breasted Roller
Coracias caudatus
Rufous-crowned Roller
Coracias naevius
Somali Bee-eater
Merops revoilii
European Roller
Coracias garrulus
European Bee-eater
Merops apiaster
Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater
Merops oreobates
📅 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 Samburu National Reserve?
About 11% of wildlife watchers report a Pied Kingfisher sighting in Samburu National Reserve, based on 100 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Pied Kingfisher in Samburu National Reserve?
June has the highest sighting rate for Pied Kingfisher in Samburu National Reserve in our monthly data.