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Pied Kingfisher
Ceryle rudis
Location where spotted : Quarry during the monsoon
Marathi name : Kavdya Bandya
Alternative names: None.
Field characteristics : 25cm (m) 68-100g, (f) 71-110g. Sexes alike. Ad: Very distinctive. General black and white colour throughout and the only local kingfisher so coloured. The male has an extra black band across its chest, which the female lacks.
Juvenile : Young birds like the ad but have buff edges to the feathers of the head and chest. Imm: Undescribed but probably similar to the ad. Confusing species: None. The only black and white kingfisher in the region.
Voice: A vocal kingfisher. The most frequent call is a high pitched ‘kwik kwik kwik’
Distribution: Widespread on the continent and occurrence determined by the availability of suitable water bodies and prey throughout. It has benefited from the building of dams and their stocking with fish.
Population and demography: Numerous in suitable habitat and one of the three most numerous kingfishers in the world. Age of first breeding, survivorship and longevity unknown.
Movements: Thought to be resident, but there are many reports of seasonal changes in abundance and a few large scale movements have been observed. It will leave water bodies if they dry up.
Habitat: Any waterbody, like streams, rivers, lakes and the seashore, provided small fish are available. Less common on densely wooded, fast flowing streams. Relies heavily on the availability of water side perches but also hovers frequently. Commoner in low-lying country (less than 900m altitude) and restricted to major rivers and impoundments in arid country.
General habits: Conspicuous from its habit of sitting on a prominent perch or by its hovering over water and diving head first to capture prey. When hovering the body is held almost vertically with the head held well forward; it raises and lowers its tail when perched. Makes several rapid and shallow dives into water from a perch when bathing, then preens vigorously. Known to roost gregariously at night. Live in pairs or loosely knit family parties twice as many mm as ff.
Foraging and food: Hunts from a prominent perch or by hovering. Hovers more than any other kingfisher; extent of hover hunting dependant on amount of wind; more wing, more hover hunting. Plunges underwater in most cases to capture fish. Fish are regularly battered to death before being swallowed head first. Diet is mainly fish supplemented by crustaceans and aquatic insects.
Breeding: Well known. Monogamous, sometimes (1 pair in 3) with a primary male helper and sometimes more. This is dependant to some extent on the available food; less food more helpers. In this case the breeding m feeds its mate, while the helper feeds both breeding birds. Secondary helpers sometime appear after the eggs have hatched. Solitary nester usually but sometimes in loose colonies, mainly in the extreme northern part of its range in s Africa. Mate fidelity unknown. Courtship displays unknown. Laying dates: Dependant to some extent on local water levels. In the northern tropics breeds Sept-Mar, southern tropics Apr-Aug and equatorial region any month of the year. Nest: In a vertical sand bank, sometimes quite close to the water level. Length of the burrow is between 1-2m long with a chamber (45x24x15cm) at the end which is unlined. Excavation takes 26d (11days - 11 months). Pair defends burrow and immediate vicinity. Eggs: 1-7 (normally 5) White rounded and glossy. Size (n=47) 26.9-33 x 22.1- 26.3, (29.7x23.5). No data on fresh egg mass. Number of breeding attempts per year, geographical/ seasonal variation in clutch size, egg-dumping, number of ff laying in same nest, and reaction to foreign eggs unknown. Incubation: Unknown. Development and care of young: Unknown. Chicks fed by both ads. Breeding success: No data.
Conservation: Not a conservation priority at present. May be susceptible to pesticides and is locally affected by the application of poisons to kill fish and Red-billed Queleas. Has benefited from the construction of dams for irrigation and generation of electricity and their stocking with fish.
Missing Data :
Description of the immature
Age of first breeding, survivorship and longevity
Degree of mate fidelity
Description of displays and context
Nest building behaviour
Fresh egg mass
Number of breeding attempts per year
Geographical and/or seasonal variation in clutch size
Does egg-dumping occur?
Does more than 1 female lay in the same nest?
Reaction to foreign eggs
Timing of the start of incubation, incubation period, sex roles in incubation, and incubation shift lengths
Description of the downy chick
Plumage and morphological development of chicks
Chick weights
Interactions among young
Chick behaviour
Nestling-, fledging-, and dependant post fledging period
Description of distraction displays
Breeding success
Moult: Timing and nature
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Note :
The copyright for the texts displayed here belongs to the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund (JVBBF).
The copyright for the photograph belongs to Ian Montgomery.