The Mangrove Kingfisher (Halcyon senegaloides), also known as the white-collared kingfisher, is one of the rarest birds in Southern Africa. A tree Kingfisher belonging to the family Halcyonidae, it has a large range and usually stays close to the coast, although may move up river systems. It is restricted to mangrove forests and other well-wooded waterways of only the eastern coast of southern Africa. The Mangrove Kingfisher is an endangered species in South Africa. It varies from blue to green above while the underparts can be white or buff. There is a white collar around the neck, giving the birds its name. Some races have a white or buff stripe over the eye while others have a white spot between the eye and bill. There may be a black stripe through the eye. The large bill is black with a pale yellow base to the lower mandible. Females tend to be greener than the males. Immature birds are duller than the adults with dark scaly markings on the neck and breast.
