Pied kingfisher facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pied kingfisher
Male
Female both C. r. leucomelanurus Chambal River, Uttar Pradesh, India
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Synonyms
Alcedo rudis Linnaeus, 1758

The pied kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) is a cool bird found across Africa and Asia. It's easy to spot with its black and white feathers and a crest on its head. These birds love to hover over clear lakes and rivers. Then, they dive headfirst into the water to catch fish!

Male pied kingfishers have two black bands across their chest. Females have one band that is broken in the middle. You usually see them in pairs or small family groups. When they sit still, they often bob their heads and flick their tails up.

About the Pied Kingfisher's Name

The famous scientist Carl Linnaeus first described the pied kingfisher in 1758. He noted that it lived in places like Persia and Egypt. He gave it the name Alcedo rudis. Later, in 1828, another naturalist named Friedrich Boie created the group Ceryle for this bird.

The name Ceryle comes from an old Greek word, kērulos. This was a mythical bird mentioned by ancient writers. The word rudis is Latin and means "wild."

The pied kingfisher is the only bird in its group, Ceryle. Scientists think it's an early relative of the American kingfishers.

There are five different types, or subspecies, of the pied kingfisher:

• C. r. syriacus – Found from Turkey to Israel and southwest Iran.
• C. r. rudis – Lives in Egypt and Africa, south of the Sahara Desert.
• C. r. leucomelanurus – Found from Afghanistan through India to southern China.
• C. r. travancoreensis – Lives in southwest India.
• C. r. insignis – Found in eastern and southeastern China, including Hainan Island.

What Does a Pied Kingfisher Look Like?

This kingfisher is a medium-sized bird, about 25 centimeters (10 inches) long. It is mostly white with a black mask around its eyes. It has a white stripe above its eye and black bands on its chest. The top part of its body has black stripes.

As mentioned, males have a second, narrow black band on their chest. Females have a single black band that is broken in the middle. The different subspecies can look a bit different. For example, the insignis type in China has a much bigger beak.

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  A pied kingfisher egg

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  A young male pied kingfisher in Uganda

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  A female pied kingfisher in The Gambia

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  A male pied kingfisher in Uganda

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  A female pied kingfisher in Israel

Where Do Pied Kingfishers Live?

Pied kingfishers are very common across Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. They also live in southern Asia, from Turkey all the way to India and China. These birds usually stay in one place and do not travel far. They are not like birds that migrate long distances. In India, you mostly find them in the flat plains.

The pied kingfisher is one of the most common kingfishers in the world. It is a noisy bird, so you can often hear its sharp calls.

How Do Pied Kingfishers Behave?

When a pied kingfisher is resting, it often bobs its head up and down. It might also lift its tail and flick it downwards. They make loud, sharp "chirruk chirruk" sounds very often. Unlike some other kingfishers, these birds like to be in groups. They often gather in large roosts at night to sleep.

How Pied Kingfishers Find Food

Pied kingfishers mainly eat fish. But they also enjoy eating crustaceans like crabs, and large water insects such as dragonfly larvae. They usually hunt by hovering in the air above the water. When they spot prey, they dive straight down, beak first, to catch it. When they are not hunting, they fly fast and straight. They can fly at speeds of almost 50 kilometers per hour (30 miles per hour).

These kingfishers can eat their prey while flying. They don't always need to go back to a perch. This means they can hunt over big lakes or rivers where there are no places to sit.

Pied Kingfisher Reproduction

In India, pied kingfishers usually breed from February to April. They make their nests by digging a hole in a vertical mud bank. The nest hole is usually about five feet (1.5 meters) above the water. The tunnel can be four to five feet deep and ends in a small room. Many birds might nest close to each other in the same area.

A female pied kingfisher usually lays three to six white eggs. Sometimes, young birds that are not yet breeding will help their parents. They might even help other older birds raise their young.

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  A pied kingfisher diving in The Gambia

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  A series of photos showing a kingfisher fishing

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  A pied kingfisher eating a fish in The Gambia

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  A female pied kingfisher feeding its young in Uganda

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  A male pied kingfisher flying in Uganda

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  A pied kingfisher resting on a hippo in Uganda

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  A pied kingfisher