FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
The striped kingfisher belongs to the order Coraciiformes, the family of colorful birds. Other birds of this species are the rollers, motmot, bee-eaters, and finally, other kingfishers. The striped kingfisher is famously associated with popular Greek mythology as the bird that nested on the sea and it was named 'halcyon'. The word was used to associate with the kingfisher in the legend. The legend narrates the story of Alcyone, the daughter of the God of wind, and Ceyix, the son of the morning star. Upon getting married, they committed the mistake of pronouncing themselves as Zeus and Hera, which angered Zeus, leading him to punish the two resulting in Alcyone's death by drowning in the sea. However, the other Gods showed mercy upon them and let them be reincarnated as kingfishers. Thereafter, she came to be known as Halcyon. It is believed that Halcyone later laid her eggs on a floating nest in the sea while her father, the God of winds, kept the sea winds in check to help his daughter. The legend of Halcyon 'calming the sea' is a popular one.
Besides Greek mythology, some of the histories of this bird are known to hail from Chelicut. The species has been renamed in several other cultures like Chelicuti, after its place of origin Chelicut with Halcyon chelicuti and Alaudo chelicuti being its protonyms and the French martin chasseur strié which also classifies the kingfisher bird family.
Find this article about the striped kingfisher interesting? Check out some more fun bird facts about the cockatoo and blue jay.
The striped kingfisher is a kind of bird that goes by the genus name Halcyon.
The striped kingfisher belongs to the Aves class, which is the bird family.
The striped kingfisher species is spread far and wide across Asia. They have a very high rate of occurrence, which makes it difficult to give an exact count for the species. They are not a rare sight.
The bird inhabits the southern regions of Africa, South Africa, the Namib desert, areas surrounding the Kalahari desert, Okavango delta, Damaraland, and Namibia. In the locations of the Okavango delta and Botswana, the bird is found in wildlife parks, reserves, and sanctuaries. Chobe National Park, Linyanti reserve, Moremi reserve, and Kalahari game reserve are some prime locations.
The striped kingfisher habitat is mainly based in thorny scrubs, dry bush, woodland, and open savannas. The bird perches amongst the shallower half of the canopy and avoids locations like cultivated farms even though it prefers open areas. Mythically believed to be nested on the sea, it actually lays its eggs around the sea on the coasts.
These southern African birds are highly territorial species and do not tolerate any other bird in their territory. They are known to be uncooperative, even with their own kind. These birds are known to chase out any intruder like the dove and lilac-breasted roller.
The average striped kingfisher can live up to 12-15 years. The longest living kingfisher in the world was a common kingfisher which was known to live up to 21 years!
The breeding season for the striped kingfisher begins in November and lasts until February. An average striped kingfisher adult reaches reproductive maturity at the age of one. Every year, these birds lay around three to six eggs and the gestation period lasts for 18-20 days. Their might be multiple breeding periods throughout the year. The nestlings remain in the nest for the next 25 days until they are ready to take off.
Unlike popular myths, the striped kingfisher does not really lay its eggs on a floating nest on the sea. Instead, they nest in areas surrounding the water bodies. Interestingly, this species is a nest parasite, meaning they look for abandoned nesting sites for breeding. The striped kingfisher is known to dwell in tree cavities, abandoned nests of woodpeckers and barbets.
The striped kingfisher is the bird with the most diverse range among the kingfisher bird family, and their conservation status is of Least Concern.
The striped kingfisher is a tiny bird that is a combination of brown, blue, white, and hues of light brown. They have a dark brown crown, whitish-brown nape running all the way down to the underbelly. The wings and upper parts are dark brown with striped flight feathers that are a combination of white and brown, and the under tail is blue. It has a distinctive beak, with the lower bill of the beak being red. This sets it apart from other birds like brown-hooded and blue-breasted kingfishers.
The kingfisher striped is not the most attractive species of its genus, but they are fairly pretty birds. They are tiny and conical that makes them appear cute.
The striped kingfisher is only known to communicate with its mate. They communicate through a long shrill call, and there are only a few instances of communication among these birds outside their pairings.
The kingfisher striped belongs to the Coraciiform order. Accordingly, the striped kingfisher size is the smallest in their genus. If compared with one of the biggest species of the genus, hornbills, the striped kingfisher is almost 10 times smaller at 6.5-8.5 in (16-18 cm).
The flight of the kingfisher striped is swift, direct, and usually on the lower stratas. Its speed is around 36 mph (57.9 kph).
Generally, the striped kingfisher weighs around 1.1-1.6 oz (34-46 g).
Both male and female kingfishers are known by the common name, with the genus name Halcyon.
The baby striped kingfisher is generally known as nestling or chick.
Their common food is insects and smaller invertebrates. They have evolved to consume a larger variety of food items like lizards. However, they are predated on by foxes, snakes, and raccoons.
No, they are harmless to humans.
They could make good pets, but they are the birds of the wild, so it's preferable not to keep them as pets.
The name Chelicut Kingfisher was given by Edward Stanley and Lord Stanley on their voyage to Abyssinia in the 19th century. The striped kingfisher (protonym Alaudo chelicuti) is not a foraging bird, rather, it hunts its prey mid-air and brings it back to the tree to eat it.
The kingfisher species ranges across 114 species!
A song titled 'French Martin Chasseur Strié' is composed of the voices of the bird.
Striped kingfishers have a wide range and population, and there are around 114 species of kingfishers in the world. Similar species to striped kingfishers are the brown-hooded kingfisher, the blue-breasted kingfisher, the woodland kingfisher, and the gray-headed kingfisher. The common feature among all these birds is a stripe-like structure, be it on different parts of the bodies and a uniting blue under the tail.
The striped kingfisher has white stripes around the sides of the outer wings.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these mealy parrot facts and kea parrot facts for kids.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable striped kingfisher coloring pages.
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising.
We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published.
Kidadl has a number of affiliate partners that we work with including Amazon. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.
We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content.
Was this article helpful?
We’ll send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out.
Check your inbox for your latest news from us. You have subscribed to:
Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter.