Halcyon smyrnensis - White-breasted Kingfisher
Feather characters. Barbules are of medium length (1.22-1.42 mm). Pigment is heavily concentrated in nodes and sometimes in parts of (less than 50%) internodes. Both vase- and bell-shaped nodes are present. Nodes are equally distributed along the entire length of barbules (26-30 per mm). They are all about the same size, slightly decreasing towards distal end. Villi are absent and internodes are occasionally kinked. Minute prongs may be present along the entire length of barbules, on both sides of the pennulum. These prongs are unequally distributed, and many nodal structures without prongs may be found.
Field characters. Size 26-28 cm. Weight 91 g (80.5-108.0) (Dunning, 1993). Large, long-winged and -tailed Kingfisher, with powerful coral-red bill. Head and underparts chestnut-brown, with white patch from chin to upper breast; upperparts, rump, and tail turquoise. In flight, upperwing shows conspicuous pale band across base of dark-tipped primaries; coverts chestnut and black. Juvenile duller.
Voice. Call a loud rattling 'chuk-chuk-chuk'; advertising call, given from exposed perch, consists of loud whistles: 'kil-kil-kil-kil'.
Distribution. Uncommon to locally common resident; range extends from Middle East to SE Asia. Map: see MapIt.
Habitat. Not exclusively associated with water. Near streams, rivers, pools, and lakes, bordered with trees, but also in plantations, gardens, palm groves, or deciduous forest, usually not far from human habitation. Nests in excavated burrows in banks.
Food. Fish, obtained by diving, but also reptiles, amphibians, and insects; occasionally small mammals, birds, or crustaceans (crabs at sea-shore). In drier habitats feeding methods resemble those of shrikes.