Nature and Trees - Common Kingfisher & White Breasted Kingfisher
2,154 views · Published 13 March 2012 · 4:01 · Indexed 21 October 2026
Channel: Menora James · 2012 · Pets & Animals
I was able to video several times at differant locations both the Common & White Breasted Kingfishers during my holidays. You will see that the White Breasted Kingfisher after 2.07 min is looking at the camera several times while I was filming. Many times I waved at him during the filming and he looked at me while I was looking at his beauty :)) Common Kingfisher ================ The Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) also known as European Kingfisher,Eurasian Kingfisher or River Kingfisher, is a small kingfisher with seven subspecies recognized within its wide distribution across Eurasia and North Africa. This sparrow-sized bird has the typical short-tailed, large-headed kingfisher profile; It feeds mainly on fish, caught by diving, and has special visual adaptions to enable it to see prey under water. The glossy white eggs are laid in a nest at the end of a burrow in a riverbank.They typically lays five to seven eggs. In areas with warmer temperatures, the Common Kingfishers inhabit clear, slow-flowing streams, rivers, mangrove creeks, swamps,lakes & vegetated banks.They are important members of ecosystems and good indicators of freshwater community health. The highest densities of breeding birds are found in habitats with clear water,They prefer to inhabit a temperate climate and will migrate after breeding season to more favorable conditions as cold weather approaches. Kingfishers are nocturnal travelers,The presence of the Kingfishers in these habitats confirms the quality of the water. The Common Kingfishers is highly territorial; since it must eat around 60% of its body weight each day,The Common Kingfisher hunts from a perch 1--2 m (3--6 ft) above the water, on a branch, post or riverbank, bill pointing down as it searches for prey. The Common kingfisher has no song.The flight call is a short sharp whistle, chee, repeated two or three times. White-breasted Kingfisher ==================== The White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) also known as the White-breasted Kingfisher or Smyrna Kingfisher, is a tree kingfisher, widely distributed in Eurasia This kingfisher is a resident over much of its range, although some populations may make short distance movements. It can often be found well away from water where it feeds on a wide range of prey that includes small reptiles, amphibians, crabs, small rodents and even birds.This is a large kingfisher, 28 cm in length.Males and females look alike. This kingfisher is widespread and populations are not threatened. Average density of 4.58 individuals per km2. has been noted in the Sundarbans mangroves.There calls are loud & are particularly noisy in the breeding season. This species mainly hunts large crustaceans, insects, earthworms, rodents, snakes, fish and frogs. Predation of small birds such as the Oriental White-eye, chick of a Red-wattled Lapwing, sparrows and munias have been reported. They begin breeding at the onset of the Monsoons. The nest is a tunnel 50 cms long, in an earth bank. The nest building begins with both birds flying into a suitable mud wall until an indentation is made where they can find a perch hold. They subsequently perch and continue digging the nest with their bills. Nest tunnels in a haystack have also been recorded. A single clutch of 4-7 round white eggs is typical. With a powerful bill and rapid flight, these kingfishers have few predators when healthy and rare cases of predation by a Black Kite and a Jungle Crow may be of sick or injured birds.
