LC
White-bellied Kingfisher Corythornis leucogaster



Taxonomy

Taxonomic note
Corythornis leucogaster (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) was previously placed in the genus Alcedo following Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993).

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2024 Least Concern
2016 Least Concern
2012 Least Concern
2009 Least Concern
2008 Least Concern
2004 Least Concern
2000 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988 Lower Risk/Least Concern
Species attributes

Migratory status not a migrant Forest dependency medium
Land-mass type Average mass -
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 7,310,000 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size unknown - - -
Population trend decreasing - suspected -
Generation length 3.54 years - - -

Population justification: The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is reported to be widespread but generally uncommon (del Hoyo et al. 2001). This species is considered to have a medium dependency on forest habitat, and tree cover is estimated to have declined by 8.2% within its mapped range over the past three generations (Global Forest Watch 2022, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). Therefore, as a precautionary measure, it is tentatively suspected that this loss of cover may have led to a decline of between 1-19% in the species' population size over the same time frame.

Trend justification:   .


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Angola extant native yes
Benin extant native yes
Cameroon extant native yes
Central African Republic extant native yes
Congo extant native yes
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the extant native yes
Côte d'Ivoire extant native yes
Equatorial Guinea extant native yes
Gabon extant native yes
Ghana extant native yes
Guinea extant native yes
Guinea-Bissau extant native yes
Liberia extant native yes
Nigeria extant native yes
São Tomé e Príncipe extant native yes
Sierra Leone extant native yes
Tanzania extant native yes
Togo extant native yes
Uganda extant native yes
Zambia extant native yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Angola Camabatela
Cameroon Bakossi mountains
Cameroon Banyang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary
Cameroon Boumba - Bek
Cameroon Campo Ma'an complex
Cameroon Korup National Park
Cameroon Lobéké National Park
Cameroon Mbam Djerem National Park
Cameroon Mbam Minkom - Kala
Cameroon Mont Manengouba
Cameroon Mont Nlonako
Cameroon Mount Cameroon and Mokoko-Onge
Cameroon Mount Kupe
Cameroon Mount Rata and Rumpi Hills Forest Reserve
Cameroon Nki
Cameroon Yabassi
Central African Republic Dzanga-Ndoki National Park
Central African Republic Ngotto
Central African Republic Zémongo Faunal Reserve
Congo Conkouati National Park
Congo Dimonika Biosphere Reserve
Congo Lake Télé Community Reserve
Congo Léfini Faunal Reserve
Congo Lower Kouilou basin
Congo Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park complex
Congo Odzala National Park complex
Congo Ogooué Leketi National Park
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Lomako - Yekokora
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Luki Forest Reserve
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Maiko National Park
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Mount Hoyo Reserve
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Ngiri
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Okapi Faunal Reserve
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Salonga National Park
Côte d'Ivoire Lamto Ecological Research Station
Côte d'Ivoire Mabi Forest reserve
Côte d'Ivoire Marahoue National Park
Côte d'Ivoire Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve
Côte d'Ivoire Parc National de Taï et Réserve de faune du N'Zo
Côte d'Ivoire Peko Mountain National Park
Côte d'Ivoire Yapo and Mambo Forest Reserves
Equatorial Guinea Monte Alen National Park
Equatorial Guinea Nsork Highlands National Park
Gabon Gamba Protected Areas Complex
Gabon Ipassa Strict Nature Reserve
Gabon Lopé Faunal Reserve
Gabon Minkébé Forest Reserve
Ghana Atewa Range Forest Reserve
Ghana Boin River Forest Reserve
Ghana Bosomtwe Range Forest Reserve
Ghana Bura River Forest Reserve
Ghana Cape Three Points Forest Reserve
Ghana Dadieso Forest Reserve
Ghana Draw River Forest Reserve
Ghana Ebi River Shelterbelt Forest Reserve
Ghana Fure River Forest Reserve
Ghana Jema-Asemkrom Forest Reserve
Ghana Kakum National Park - Assin Attandaso Resource Reserve
Ghana Mamiri Forest Reserve
Ghana Nsuensa-Ayiola-Bediako Forest Reserves
Ghana Pra-Sushien Forest Reserve
Ghana Subri River Forest Reserve
Ghana Tano-Anwia Forest Reserve
Ghana Tano-Ehuro Forest Reserve
Ghana Tano-Nimiri Forest Reserve
Ghana Yoyo River Forest Reserve
Guinea Diécké
Guinea Kounounkan
Guinea Massif du Ziama
Guinea-Bissau Cantanhez forests
Guinea-Bissau Lagoas de Cufada
Liberia Cestos - Senkwen
Liberia Grebo
Liberia Lofa-Gola-Mano Complex
Liberia Nimba mountains
Liberia Sapo
Liberia Wologizi mountains
Liberia Wonegizi mountains
Liberia Zwedru
Nigeria Cross River National Park (Oban Division)
Nigeria Cross River National Park (Okwangwo Division) and Mbe Mountains
Nigeria Donga river basin forests
Nigeria Gashaka-Gumti National Park
Nigeria Kagoro - Nindam Forest Reserves and vicinity
Nigeria Okomu National Park
Nigeria Omo Forest Reserve
Sierra Leone Gola Forests
Sierra Leone Kambui Hills Forest Reserve
Sierra Leone Loma Mountains Non-hunting Forest Reserve
Sierra Leone Western Area Peninsula Forest National Park
Tanzania Minziro Forest Reserve
Uganda Mabira Forest Reserve
Uganda Queen Elizabeth National Park and Lake George
Uganda Sango Bay area
Uganda Semliki National Park
Zambia Jimbe Drainage

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Artificial/Aquatic & Marine Artificial/Aquatic - Ponds (below 8ha) suitable resident
Artificial/Terrestrial Plantations suitable resident
Artificial/Terrestrial Rural Gardens suitable resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Mangrove Vegetation Above High Tide Level suitable resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland major resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane suitable resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Swamp suitable resident
Marine Neritic Estuaries suitable resident
Shrubland Subtropical/Tropical Moist suitable resident
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha) suitable resident
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) major resident
Altitude 0 - 1800 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: White-bellied Kingfisher Corythornis leucogaster. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/white-bellied-kingfisher-corythornis-leucogaster on 22/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/11/2024.