A male at Gangei in Trincomalee.
A female at Matara Kirala Kele.
The Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle
rudis) is a resident of Sri Lanka and can be seen near clear water bodies. They
are called කළපු පිළිහුඩුවා (Kalapu
Pilihuduwa) in Sinhala. This water Kingfisher has the unique ability to hover
around water and dive for prey vertically. They possess black and white plumage and a crest. Males have a double band across the breast
while females have a single gorget that is often broken in the middle. They are
usually found in pairs. When perching, they bob their head and flick up their
tail.
This kingfisher feeds mainly
on fish but consumes large aquatic insects such as dragonfly larvae. They can
deal with prey without returning to a perch, often swallowing small prey in
flight, and so can hunt over large water bodies or in estuaries that lack
perches that are required by other kingfishers.
The breeding season is
February to April. Its nest is a hole excavated in a vertical mud bank about
five feet above water. The nest tunnel is 4 to 5 feet deep and ends in a
chamber. Several birds may nest in the same vicinity. The usual clutch is 3–6
white eggs.
These photos were taken at
Matara Kirala kele and Gangei in Trincomalee.
