Crested Kingfisher

Megaceryle lugubris (Temminck, 1834)

Alcedinidae — Kingfishers

Crested Kingfisher, Megaceryle lugubris, is a kingfisher of the Oriental Region and Palearctic, breeding from north-east Afghanistan to central Vietnam and Japan. It belongs to the family Alcedinidae in the order Coraciiformes, and was first described by Temminck in 1834. Its range is the most limited among the Cerylinae kingfishers. It lives in wooded country near rivers and mountain foothills, and also occurs at higher elevations than the Common Kingfisher where their ranges meet. It is notable for its large, shaggy crest and its black-and-white plumage.

Order
Coraciiformes
Family
Alcedinidae — Kingfishers
Breeding range
Oriental Region, Palearctic: ne Afghanistan to c Vietnam and Japan
Crested Kingfisher
© Arghyadeep98 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Tours where you can spot this bird

7 tours in Japan 3, Thailand 2, India 1, Bhutan 1

Crane Spectacle in Kyushu
Crane Spectacle in Kyushu
Japan / Fukuoka Group tour 5 days

A five-day winter route from Fukuoka to Izumi and Saga for cranes, spoonbills, winter waterfowl, shorebirds and raptors....

Next: Nov 27, 2027
Wild Hokkaido Summer Bird Quest
Wild Hokkaido Summer Bird Quest
Japan / Tokyo Group tour 5 days

A five-day summer circuit through eastern Hokkaido wetlands, coasts and forests, including boat birding from Ochiishi and Rausu....

Next: Jun 29, 2027
Northern India Birding Tour: Tigers, Birds and the Himalayas
Northern India Birding Tour: Tigers, Birds and the Himalayas
India / New Delhi Group tour 17 days

A 17-day northern India expedition combining wetland and Himalayan birding with Ranthambhore and Corbett wildlife safaris, the Chambal River...

From USD 9,565 Next: Jan 21, 2027
Bhutan Black-necked Crane Birding Tour
Bhutan Black-necked Crane Birding Tour
Bhutan / Paro Private tour 9 days

A nine-day private Bhutan birding route from Paro to Phobjikha and Bumthang, centered on wintering Black-necked Cranes and high-Himalayan bi...

From USD 2,750
Private 14-Day Japan Winter Birding Journey with All Japan Tours
Private 14-Day Japan Winter Birding Journey with All Japan Tours
Japan / Sapporo Private tour 14 days

A fourteen-day private winter birding journey from Hokkaido’s cranes and sea eagles to Kyushu wetlands, Lake Biwa, Karuizawa and Tokyo....

From USD 13,998
Ultimate Thailand Bird Watching 35 Days Trip
Ultimate Thailand Bird Watching 35 Days Trip
Thailand Group tour 35 days

Ultimate Thailand Bird Watching – 35 Days / 34 Nights is an extensive and immersive birding journey across the full range of Thailand’s ...

Mae Wong Bird Watching & Photography 3 Days
Mae Wong Bird Watching & Photography 3 Days
Thailand / Mae Wong Group tour 3 days

Mae Wong Bird Watching & Photography Tour – 3 Days / 2 Nights is an immersive wildlife experience in northern Thailand’s scenic Mae Wong...