[2] The type species is a subspecies of the crested kingfisher, Megaceryle lugubris guttulata.

[3] Megaceryle is from the Ancient Greek megas, "great", and the existing genus Ceryle.

The underparts may be white or rufous, and all forms have a contrasting breast band except male ringed kingfisher.

Megaceryle kingfishers are often seen perched prominently on trees, posts, or other suitable watch-points close to water before plunging in headfirst after their prey, usually fish, crustaceans, or frogs, but sometimes aquatic insects and other suitably sized animals.

The previous view that the Megaceryle kingfishers arose in the New World from a specialist fish-eating alcedinid ancestor that crossed the Bering Strait and gave rise to this genus and the American green kingfishers Chloroceryle, with a large crested species later, in the Pliocene, crossing the Atlantic Ocean to give rise to the giant and crested kingfishers [6] is probably wrong.