Water kingfisher facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Water kingfisher
Pied kingfisher (Ceryle rudis).
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Coraciiformes
Family:	Alcedinidae
Subfamily:	Cerylinae Reichenbach, 1851
Genera
Megaceryle Ceryle Chloroceryle

Water kingfishers, also called Cerylinae, are a special group of birds. They are one of three main types of kingfishers found around the world. All six kinds of kingfishers that live in North and South America belong to this group.

These kingfishers are experts at catching fish. They eat fish almost all the time. Many scientists believe that all water kingfishers came from fish-eating kingfishers. These early birds likely settled in the Americas a long time ago. It was once thought that all water kingfishers first appeared in the Americas. However, new studies suggest their oldest ancestors might have come from Africa or other parts of the Old World. The Chloroceryle species are thought to be the newest group of these birds.

The History of Water Kingfishers

Scientists study the history of animals using molecular phylogenetics. This means they look at the DNA of different species. By comparing their DNA, they can figure out how different groups of animals are related. They can also guess when and where new groups appeared.

Studies show that water kingfishers likely started in Asia. From there, they traveled to the Americas two different times.

• The first group arrived about 8 million years ago. These were the ancestors of the Chloroceryle kingfishers.
• The second group arrived about 1.9 million years ago. These birds were the ancestors of the ringed kingfisher and the belted kingfisher. Both of these are part of the Megaceryle group.

Types of Water Kingfishers

The Cerylinae group has nine different species of kingfishers. They are divided into three main groups, called genera. Each genus has its own unique features and lives in different parts of the world.

Image	Group Name	Living Species	Where They Live
A Crested Kingfisher	Megaceryle	Giant kingfisher (Megaceryle maxima) Crested kingfisher (Megaceryle lugubris) Belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) Ringed kingfisher (Megaceryle torquata)	These are large kingfishers with crests on their heads. They live in many places, including Africa, Asia, and America. The belted kingfisher is the only kingfisher found all over North America. The ringed kingfisher can be seen as far north as Texas and Arizona.
A Pied Kingfisher	Ceryle	Pied kingfisher (Ceryle rudis)	This group has only one species, the Pied kingfisher. It is found in warm areas of the Old World. This includes places from Turkey to China.
An Amazon Kingfisher	Chloroceryle	Amazon kingfisher (Chloroceryle amazona) Green kingfisher (Chloroceryle americana) Green-and-rufous kingfisher (Chloroceryle inda) American pygmy kingfisher (Chloroceryle aenea)	These four kingfishers are known as the American green kingfishers. They live in the tropical parts of America.

See also

In Spanish: Cerílidos para niños