From: Don Turner <don@originsafaris.info>
Date: 2019-08-08 08:50
Subject: Re: Kingfishers
Difficult to say Fleur.  First the Pygmy Kingfisher:  the southern migrant (April-September) does reach central Kenya and is best distinguished from the nominate form by its very pale almost whitish belly (northern birds are all pale rufous-orange below). Regarding the Grey-headed, being as you have been seeing it on a regular basis its probably the nominate form (silvery grey head and tawny belly). Southern migrants are mainly western (Lake Victoria basin) and have pale orange-buff bellies.  Northern migrants are largely nominate birds, but the very richly coloured (brown capped) form from Yemen does get to Kenya on occasions as Brian found recently.

While easy to identify to species, kingfisher subspecies are much more difficult and require good looks at them, even better with photographs.

Hope this helps.
Don

On 8 Aug 2019, at 08:31, Fleur Ng'weno <fleur@africaonline.co.ke> wrote:

Dear Don, Brian and all

At Paradise Lost yesterday, Nature Kenya’s Wednesday Morning Birdwalk saw the full range of Nairobi kingfishers: Giant, Pied, Malachite, Pygmy and Grey-headed.

The Pygmy Kingfisher was brilliantly coloured; was it resident (this species has nested at Paradise Lost in the past) or was it a migrant from the south? 

The Grey-headed Kingfisher I did not see myself, but we have been recording them on almost every birdwalk recently. Is there an influx, and if so is it from the north or from the south?

Also two recent records of Red-throated Wryneck – at Paradise Lost yesterday and at City Park on Wednesday July 24.

Best wishes, Fleur


On Aug 7, 2019, at 10:20 AM, Brian Finch birdfinch@gmail.com [kenyabirdsnet] <kenyabirdsnet-noreply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Thanks so much Don,
It's a very smart bird, incredibly tame, thanks for letting me know.
Is semicaerulea the race that is a migrant into Oman as well, and
southern Arabia? There's nothing that helps really in Handbook BOA, I
think the race had not been described at the time of publication,
Very best
Brian

On 8/6/19, Don Turner don@originsafaris.info [kenyabirdsnet]
<kenyabirdsnet-noreply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
> Dear Brian. Great photos of your Grey-headed Kingfisher the other morning.
> The brown not grey head, also the dark chestnut belly CLEARLY distinguish
> this individual as a northern migrant. Possibly race semicaerulea which I
> think has reached the Tana River. Its home is in the Yemen and Eritrean
> coast.
>
> Don
>
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>