Kingfishers are a family, the Alcedinidae, of small to medium-sized, brightly colored birds in the order Coraciiformes.

The name is from Latin alcēdō, from Ancient Greek ἀλκυών (alkuṓn): halcyon, kingfisher.

Kingfishers have three sub families:
- Alcedininae (River kingfishers or pygmy kingfishers)
  Genera
  + Ispidina
  + Corythornis
  + Alcedo
  + Ceyx
  
- Halcyoninae (Tree kingfishers, also called wood kingfishers)
  Genera
  + Actenoides
  + Caridonax
  + Cittura
  + Clytoceyx
  + Halcyon
  + Lacedo
  + Melidora
  + Pelargopsis
  + Tanysiptera
  + Dacelo
  + Syma
  + Todirhamphus

- Cerylinae,also known as the cerylid kingfishers  (Water kingfishers or Cerylinae)
  Genera
  + Megaceryle
  + Ceryle
  + Chloroceryle