Automatically translated. This page was translated automatically from German and has not been reviewed by our editors.Show original
Birds
Pied kingfisher
Pied kingfisher · Ceryle rudis
The pied kingfisher hunts in a hovering flight over the water, landing spectacular fish catches with its sharp bill.
Fact file
- Size
- Around 25 cm long and weighing up to 90 grams
- Males and females
- Male with a double black breast band, female with only a single, sometimes broken band
- Sounds
- Metallic, sharp calls, especially in flight
- Diet
- Feeds mainly on small fish, sometimes also crustaceans and aquatic insects
- Offspring
- Usually lays 3 to 5 eggs in self-dug nesting burrows on the bank
How to identify Pied kingfisher
The pied kingfisher stands out with its black and white plumage in sharply contrasting patterns. On its upperparts the bird shows a distinctive chequerboard pattern, while the underparts remain white. Particularly striking are the black mask over the eyes and the strong white throat.
At around 25 centimetres in body length, the pied kingfisher is one of the larger kingfishers. Its strong, pointed bill is perfectly adapted to catching prey fish. The plumage of females shows a less pronounced breast band than that of males.
More in the app
With Wildful Stories+ you also get in the app:
- general viewing tips
- 5 places where you can see Pied kingfisher
Where Pied kingfisher live
Namibia
South Africa
Discover Pied kingfisher on your trip.
The app shows you where and when to see wildlife along your route.
