White breasted Kingfisher. ( Halcyon smyrnensis )
RagooRao
A small bird with a brilliant turquoise blue with brown head, neck and under parts with a white bib and brilliant red prominent beak-rather
big for a small bird of this size is the white breasted kingfisher.
A white wing patch can be noticed prominently when the bird takes off and while it is in flight.
Both sexes are alike and their distribution is throughout the country, more in the plains and wooded countryside.
Although the very name suggests that this bird is a fish eater, it is seen very far away from water sources also. This bird can be noticed
sitting on low branches around lakes and jheels staring intently at the water below, looking for fish that come close to the surface. Once the prey is targeted, these birds make a flash dive into the water and come out with a fish in their beaks. The wriggling
fish has no chance of escape as the birds beaks are so heavy. it gets clamped on to the fish. Nature has also endowed this bird with fine-tuned eye-sight to see below the surface of water, and its beaks are also aligned to allow for the refraction of light
through water. A marvelous design from nature!
The kingfisher has also been noticed to occasionally have lizards, mice and grasshoppers in its beak, especially when the birds are parenting.
The prey is battered to death on a nearby rock or branch before it is swallowed.
The call of this bird is a very harsh cackle repeated several times more in flight.
The nesting season is sometime between March to July, which is typical of most kingfishers.
The nest is a hollow tunnel dug out by the birds in earth banks, canal banks or small cliffs.
4 to 7 white spherical eggs are laid. Both the parents share all domestic chores including nest tunnel excavation.
A marvelous bird thriving in our country and their only threat is man-with the toxic chemicals invading the water bodies from agriculture.