The pied kingfisher in Uganda is one of the African Birds of Uganda seen during your safaris and tours in Uganda. It is also known as the water kingfisher a widely spread bird in Africa and Asia, Boldly marked black and white kingfisher with short, bushy crest and glossy all dark bill. Superficially similar to Crested Kingfisher, but smaller, with a much more distinctly patterned head and breast and less erect crest. Frequently seen perched in pairs or small groups. Often hovers over water when seeking prey.
The pied kingfisher is near passerine bird in the family Cerylidae, it is a medium-sized bird of about 45-48cm long and 78 – 97grams weight.
The pied kingfisher is a very distinctive bird with black and white plumage, the crest crown on the males are dark, with white streak above the eye-near the black strike surrounding the eye to the nape. The throat and collar are white; it has a mottled aspect of black upperparts edged white. The rump is also streaked black and white.
The lower parts are well bared with two black lines, long and black bill, dark eyes and blackish legs, the females have a solitary breast band-broken in the middle and slightly narrow to that of the male. The juveniles are similar to the females but had a grayish-black breast band instead of black. In flight, the long tail has feathers in the middle and tips; the primary has a broad white spot.
The pied kingfisher is a species of water kingfisher widely distributed across Africa and Asia. Originally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, it has five recognized subspecies. Geographic range. It is also found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea and South Sudan. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland and dry forests.
Habitat. Small and large lakes, large rivers, estuaries, coastal lagoons, mangroves and sandy and rocky coasts, dams and reservoirs with either fresh or brackish water; also streams and smaller fast-flowing rivers, marshes and paddy fields, and even feeding from roadside ditches.
Pied Kingfishers can be seen on almost any river, canal, parks wetland and gravel pit. Sometimes they will even fish at large garden ponds. You just have to keep a good look out and keep your fingers crossed!
Males and females cannot be distinguished by their plumage. The only external distinguishing feature is the underside of the beak. The female has an orange underside of the beak. This orange coloring increases with the age of the female.
The pied kingfisher is often seen bobbing its head and flicking its tail while perched. It is a sociable bird, known to form large roosts at night. Its flight is direct and rapid, sometimes reaching speeds close to 50km/h.
They employ exceptional hunting skills, perching near water bodies or hovering above them, scanning for prey. Once they spot a fish, they dive headfirst into the water, seizing it with their sharp bills. However, kingfishers are opportunistic predators and have a varied diet.
The Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) (above), unlike other kingfishers, uses hovering as a major hunting technique. With wings beating rapidly above the water, it keeps a keen eye for the presence of a prey below (below). Once it spots a prey, it plunges down to grab it with its long bill
The male and female take turns digging the burrow, with males spending about twice as much time digging as females. They usually take 3–7 days to finish it, but may sometimes take up to 3 weeks. The best time to see kingfishers is first thing in the morning, when they are feeding and defending their territory.
Both birds call loudly, with wide movements of their open wings. Then, there are several sequences during which both birds raise the head with the open bill upwards. The male is facing the female with the wings widely spread, exposing the bright orange underparts, while the female drops her slightly open wings.
Most known predators of adult pied kingfisher are raptors. Nest predators include; Foxes, raccoons, dingoes, snakes, chimpanzees, monitor lizards, driver ants, mongooses, cats, rats, mink and sparrow hawks. They are particularly vulnerable to attack when nesting.
The average lifespan is 7 years. The nest fills with fish bones, droppings and pellets, making the Kingfisher one of the most unhygienic birds. Numerous young Kingfishers die by drowning when they first fledge.