White-bellied Kingfisher (Corythornis leucogaster) [XC719055]
by Phil Gregory from Ankasa NR, Ghana (call)
White-bellied Kingfisher (Corythornis leucogaster) [XC353140]
by id from Ankasa NR, Ghana (call)
Subspecies
White-bellied Kingfisher (Corythornis leucogaster) and Principe Kingfisher (Corythornis nais) (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) are retained as separate species contra Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993) who include nais as a subspecies of White-bellied Kingfisher (Corythornis leucogaster).
Closely related to Malachite Kingfisher (Corythornis cristatus) and Madagascar Kingfisher (Corythornis vintsioides), and sometimes placed with them in a separate genus Corythornis. Also closely related to Principe Kingfisher (Corythornis nais) and Sao Tome Kingfisher (Corythornis thomensis), either or both of which have often been treated as conspecific with this species. Population from southern Nigeria to northern Angola formerly separated as subspecies batesi, but appears indistinguishable from nominate.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
bowdleri (Neumann, 1908) - Southern Mauritania (Guidimaka), south-western Mali (Mandingo Mts), and Guinea to southern Ghana.
leucogaster (Fraser, 1843) - South-western Nigeria to southern Cameroon, Bioko I (Fernando Póo), Gabon and north-western Angola.
leopoldi (Dubois, AJC, 1905) - Congo Basin in southern Central African Republic and from Zaire east to southern Uganda (Sango Bay, Mabira Forest).