#1379 · 🐦 birds
White-throated Kingfisher
🇳🇱 Smyrna-IJsvogel ·Halcyon smyrnensis
9 photos from iNaturalist (Creative Commons) · credits & licences
what is it?
The white-throated kingfisher ( Halcyon smyrnensis ) also known as the white-breasted kingfisher is a tree kingfisher, widely distributed in Asia from the Sinai east through the Indian subcontinent to the Philippines. This kingfisher is a resident over much of its range, although some populations may make short distance movements.
base stats
Bars compare against all animals on log scales: up to 300,000 Dutch and 600,000 worldwide sightings (the most-seen species), 150 t (blue whale), 30 m and 400 years (Greenland shark).
fun facts
- No confirmed wild sightings in the Netherlands on iNaturalist: you'd have to travel for this one.
- 27,470 observations worldwide on iNaturalist.
- Scientifically named in 1758 (268 years ago).
fact sheet
- English
- White-throated Kingfisher
- Nederlands
- Smyrna-IJsvogel
- scientific name
- Halcyon smyrnensis
- class
- Aves
- order
- Coraciiformes
- family
- Alcedinidae
- IUCN Red List
- LC · least concern
- sightings in NL
- 0
- sightings worldwide
- 27,470
- GBIF records in NL
- 0
- weight
- —
- length
- —
- lifespan
- —
- named
- 1758
IUCN in Dutch: niet bedreigd. Blank means the sources don't say.
relatives· Alcedinidae
#0606 📷 8Common Kingfisher
🇳🇱 IJsvogel
Alcedo atthis
LC 👀 769 in NL
#0982 📷 10Laughing Kookaburra
🇳🇱 Kookaburra
Dacelo novaeguineae
LC 👀 1 in NL
#1042 📷 9Belted Kingfisher
🇳🇱 Bandijsvogel
Megaceryle alcyon
LC 🌍 91k seen
#1417 📷 10Sacred Kingfisher
🇳🇱 Heilige IJsvogel
Todiramphus sanctus
LC 🌍 22.5k seen
#1465 📷 9Ringed Kingfisher
🇳🇱 Amerikaanse Reuzenijsvogel
Megaceryle torquata
LC 🌍 17.5k seen
Sources: iNaturalist taxon 204519, Wikidata Q735158, GBIF 5228328, Wikipedia (EN), Wikipedia (NL). Intro text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.