Ceryle rudis - Pied Kingfisher
Feather characters. Barbules are of medium length (1.3-1.4 mm) and divided into pigmented nodes and partly pigmented (less than 50%) internodes. Slightly thickened nodes (20-22 per mm) are equally distributed along the entire length of barbules, only slightly decreasing in size towards distal end. Occasionally some vase-shaped nodes are seen. Villi are absent and internodes are occasionally kinked. Minute prongs are present on distal end of barbules and on both sides of the pennulum.
Field characters. Size 24-26 cm. Weight: male 82 g (68.0-100.0), female 86 g (74.0-71.0) (Dunning, 1993). Large black and white kingfisher. Upperparts barred black and white; underparts white with a single (female) or double (male) chest-band. Head black and white, with small crest; bill long, black. Juvenile resembles female, but chest-band greyish. Often sits on exposed post.
Voice. Most common a loud, high-pitched and repeated 'quick-ick'; also a vibrating whistle.
Distribution. Locally common in Near East and NE Africa, but has decreased in several regions. Map: see MapIt.
Habitat. Generally breeds in tunnel in riverbank, colonial or solitary; forages in diverse types of freshwater (pools, lakes, irrigation canals, ditches, etc.), in some parts of range also in river deltas and coastal waters.
Food. Fish, obtained by diving from perch or, more often, after hovering; occasionally takes aquatic insects and amphibians.