The river kingfishers or Alcedinidae, are one of the three families of bird in the kingfisher group.
The family is widespread through Africa, through east and south Asia as far as Australia, with one species, the River Kingfisher or European Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) also appearing in Europe and northern Asia. The origin of the family is thought to have been in Asia.
The taxonomy of the family is uncertain at present: it includes 22 to 24 species in 2 to 4 genera. The uncertaintity arises from two small African species. The Dwarf Kingfisher is sometimes placed in the monospecific genus Myioceyx, and sometimes with the Pygmy Kingfishers in Ispidina.
Although the coraciiforms may not be a natural grouping, there is evidence (both morphological and molecular) that Alcedinidae (kingfishers), Meropidae, Momotidae, and Todidae form a monophyletic group (Maurer and Raikow, 1981; Burton, 1984; Sibley and Ahlquist, 1990; Mayr et al., 2003).
The kingfishers (Alcedinidae) as a whole are thought to be monophyletic.
Slotow, R. Beak lengths in insectivorous and piscivorous kingfishers (Alcediniformes: Alcedinidae).
Feeds |
Contact