White-Throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) lives in open woodland across Southeast Asia, Indian subcontinent. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the White-Throated Kingfisher
- The white-throated kingfisher often hunts far from water, choosing exposed perches such as wires or tree branches where it can spot prey. It is a frequent sight in south Asia, scanning the open country for a wide range of animals. Its diet is diverse, taking large crustaceans, insects, earthworms, rodents, lizards, snakes, fish and frogs, and it even captures small birds such as Indian white-eyes and sparrows.
- The breeding nest of the white-throated kingfisher is a tunnel excavated in an earth bank, usually about 50 cm long, though an exceptional nest with a three-foot tunnel has been recorded, showing its ability to dig surprisingly deep burrows. Both partners take part in the construction, using their bills to deepen the tunnel after an initial indentation is made.
- During the breeding season males announce their territory with loud calls from prominent high perches, often on the tops of urban buildings or telephone wires, making their presence unmistakable in towns. While calling, they may flick their tail and briefly open their wings to flash white wing mirrors, and they raise their bright red bill to display the white throat. The female responds with a rapid, prolonged kit-kit-kit call as part of the courtship ritual.
- In the Sundarbans mangroves the white-throated kingfisher reaches an average of 4.58 individuals per square kilometre, a figure that highlights its abundance. It thrives in many open-country habitats, from lowland plains to sites as high as 7500 ft in the Himalayas, using trees, wires or other perches. Its overall range is still expanding, making the species even more common across Asia.
- A recorded fatality involved a kingfisher whose beak became lodged in a tree trunk, likely after a frantic chase of prey such as an Indian white-eye. Although these birds have a powerful bill and swift flight that give them few natural enemies, occasional predation by a black kite or jungle crow has been noted, usually targeting sick individuals. This accident shows that even a strong-billed hunter can die from a hunting mishap.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.
At a glance
RangeSoutheast Asia, Indian subcontinent
HabitatOpen woodland
DietInsects and fish
About the White-Throated Kingfisher
As the White-Throated Kingfisher takes to the skies, its iridescent plumage glimmers like a shard of turquoise, flashing in the sunlight as it darts with swift, agile precision through the dense undergrowth. With a call that rings out like a joyous, laughing cry, this bird weaves its way through the landscape, its sharp, black bill snapping shut with deadly accuracy as it plucks unsuspecting insects from the air. In its fluid, effortless movements, the White-Throated Kingfisher embodies the very essence of tropical vitality, a whirlwind of color and energy that electrifies the surroundings with its presence.
Hear the White-Throated Kingfisher, and 4,400+ more
Real recorded sounds, 11 nature games and a free Daily 5, 1v1 quiz duels, conservation wins and a safe Kids mode. Free on Feravox.
White-Throated Kingfisher photographed on Feravox
