Kingfishers - Bird of the Month June 2013

[Flutterby]

Terrible pics, but the closest I've got to a Half-collared Kingfisher - Drakensberg 2010.

[Sharifa]

African Pygmy Kingfisher Ispidina picta

It is smaller than the similar Malachite Kingfisher. It differs in that it is not aquatic, occuring in woodland and on the edge of forests. It has a broad orange eyebrow and a distinctive patch of purple on the side of the head.
Can easily be overlooked as it sits very quietly on lower branches of trees or bushes.

[nan]

African Pygmy Kingfisher

[Toko]

Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) Family: Alcedinidae
also known as Eurasian Kingfisher or River Kingfisher

The Common Kingfisher is found across Europe, and in most of Asia, reaching as far east as Japan. It also occurs in Africa south of the Sahara.

The upperparts are bright blue, while the underparts are a rich chestnut-red. The bill is very long and dagger-like. Although the sexes are generally similar, in breeding pairs they can be distinguished by the bill; in females it has a red base, whereas in males it is completely black. Juveniles have duller, greener plumage.

The Common Kingfisher feeds mainly on fish and invertebrates, which it catches by perching on a convenient branch or other structure overhanging the water, and plunging into the water when suitable prey comes within striking distance. If a suitable perch is not present, individuals may hover over the water whilst searching for prey.

During the breeding season, Common Kingfisher pairs perform a display flight whilst calling. The nest consists of a tunnel in a riverbank or amongst the roots of a tree; both sexes help to excavate the tunnel, which terminates in a rounded chamber. In April or May six to seven whitish eggs are laid on the bare earth, but after some time regurgitated fish bones form a lining to the nest chamber. Both parents incubate the eggs for 19 to 21 days. The young kingfishers fledge after around 23 to 27 days, before this time they may eagerly approach the entrance of the tunnel when waiting to be fed.

[nan]

Common Kingfisher

2011

[nan]

2012

[Toko]

Halcyonidae (tree kingfishers)
Tree kingfishers nest in a tree hole, either natural, and old woodpecker nest, or excavated in soft or rotting wood by the kingfishers.
Although some tree kingfishers frequent wetlands, none are specialist fishers. Most species are watch-and-wait hunters which dive onto prey from a perch, mainly taking slow moving invertebrates or small vertebrates.

Species indigenous to southern Africa:
Halcyon albiventris (Brown-hooded kingfisher)
Halcyon chelicuti (Striped kingfisher)
Halcyon leucocephala (Grey-headed kingfisher, Grey-hooded kingfisher)
Halcyon senegalensis (Woodland kingfisher)
Halcyon senegaloides (Mangrove kingfisher)

[Sharifa]

Brown-hooded kingfisher Halcyon albiventris

It is characterized by the brown, streaked head and a red bill with a black tip. The male has a black back and upperwing coverts, while those of the female are brown. They occur in dense savanna, woodlands and on the edges of forests. Diet consists of mainly insects but also geckos, skinks, small fish, young birds, crabs and rodents. It is a common resident.

[nan]

17.10.2012 Addo

[Lisbeth]

Marloth Park Jan. 2013

IMG_4328.JPG (87.13 KiB) Viewed 338 times