All about the pied kingfisher – bird of the week
They beat their prey on the perch before swallowing.
The male has a double breast band.
A common to very common resident inhabiting rivers, lakes, dams, estuaries, canals and coastal waters where they feed mostly on fish, one to two gram in weight. These kingfishers also feed on crustaceans and insects.
They are found usually in pairs, but sometimes in loose groups. They hunt from a perch or by hovering over water with their body almost vertical and bill pointed downwards, diving with an audible splash. They beat their prey on the perch before swallowing.
These kingfishers become tame and conspicuous. They have a high pitched twitter, squeak and sharp kwik – kwik – kwik call.
Breeding takes place from August to November. The nest is a burrow, one to two metres long, excavated in earth or sandbank and has a chamber at the end. Two to six white eggs are laid with the incubation and nestling periods being unrecorded.
The Zulu name is iHlabahlabane and in Afrikaans die bontvisvanger.
