I am a big lover of kingfishers. They come in such beautiful colours, they are simply fascinating and make for great pin-up bird posters. Most often than not, when I have stepped out for birding in Vietnam, and recently in Singapore and Philippines, I have spotted this bird. Once a person has heard the loud shrill call of the collared kingfisher, it's difficult not to recognise it the next time over.
The collared kingfisher is small bird with blue green plumage on the top with white or buff underparts and belly. It has a white collar around the neck which gives this bird its name. Kingfishers have a large bill which is black (upper mandible) and pale yellow (lower mandible). Females are greener than males.
It has a variety of calls which vary geographically. The most typical call is loud, harsh and metallic and is repeated several times.
The collared kingfisher is commonly seen on trees, in cities, lowland forests and in mangroves too. It is most commonly found in coastal areas, particularly in mangrove swamps. It also inhabits farmland, open woodland, grassland and gardens.
In some parts of its range, especially on islands, it can be seen further inland, venturing into forests or into mountain areas. Birds often perch conspicuously on wires, rocks or bare branches.
Fish and small crabs make for a good diet but a wide variety of other animals are eaten including insects (see picture alongside), worms, snails, shrimps, frogs, lizards, and sometimes other small birds as well.
The bird perches almost motionless for long periods waiting for prey. When it spots something it glides down to catch it and then flies back to the perch where it pounds larger items against the branch to subdue them.
The nest is a hole, either a natural tree hole or a burrow excavated by the birds themselves in a rotten tree, termite mound or earth bank. They will also occupy old woodpecker holes. Two to seven rounded whitish eggs are laid directly on the floor of the burrow with no nest material used.
Both parents take part in incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks. The young birds leave the nest about 44 days after hatching. Two broods are often raised in a year.
Hoping to create a series of the other kingfishers I have come across such as the common kingfisher, brown breasted kingfisher, white throated kingfisher and the stork billed kingfisher to name a few, I sign off here. Wishing all readers a pleasant Sunday.
Apurva Manek (apurvamanek1407@gmail.com)
