Pied kingfisher

Introduction: Pied kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) inhabit any water body that has small fish which includes rivers, streams, ephemeral pans, lakes, estuaries, rocky coasts and temporarily flooded areas. They are mostly resident in the country moving only for seasonal changes, usually in large numbers, believed to be in response to changing water levels.

Distribution: Epupa Falls, Kunene River estuary, Rundu, Bwabwata National Park, Kwando River region extending to the Chobe River, Chobe National Park, Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve. There are scattered populations extending throughout the southern regions of the country which include Etosha National Park, Windhoek down to the Fish River Canyon and the Orange River.

Diet: Plunges underwater to catch fish battered to death before swallowing head first. Eats invertebrates, crabs and aquatic and terrestrial insects, including dragonflies, grasshoppers and water beetles.

Description: Medium-sized kingfishers. The word rudis is Latin for foil, which refers to the long, pointed bill of the pied kingfisher who are predominately black and white in colour. Ceryle is Greek for kingfisher. A characteristic feature is their highly vocal, frequent, chattering, high-pitched call.

Breeding: Between 1 and 7 eggs are laid in most months, perhaps less for August to October when water levels are at their lowest outside of the permanent water course range. Incubation periods are around 18 days in nest which can take up to 11 weeks to excavate.

Size: 24cm.

Weight: 85g.