The Story
I photographed this American Pygmy Kingfisher (Chloroceryle aenea) at Parque Ecotemático Wisirare, near Orocué, Casanare, Colombia. It is found from southern Mexico through Central America into most of South America, from sea level to about 2,600 meters. It eats small fish, tadpoles, frogs and large insects such as damselflies, and pairs dig a nest burrow in a riverbank, road cut or the roots of a fallen tree. IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
I made this frame with a Canon R5 and the RF 800mm f/11, at 1/45 sec, f/11, ISO 6400, +1.5 EV. Wisirare means good land in the Sáliba language, and the park is a recognized bird conservation area where more than 189 bird species have been recorded.
©2022 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The American Pygmy Kingfisher (Chloroceryle aenea) belongs to the family Alcedinidae (Kingfishers) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2020), with the population trend listed as decreasing. Source: IUCN Red List