Birdwatching in Thailand: The Kingfisher (Alcedinidae) – Kingfisher
A bird species that has appeared more often on Thailandblog is the Kingfisher (the English name is in my opinion more beautiful than Kingfisher). This nice colorful animal is quite common in Thailand.
Kingfishers (Alcedinidae) are a family of fairly small to medium-sized, often brightly colored birds with a long, dagger-shaped beak, belonging to the order of roller birds. The family has nearly 120 species.
The kingfishers are most closely related to the motmots and todies within the roller birds. The earliest form of this group is Quasisyndactylus from the Eocene.
Most kingfishers catch fish or crabs by sitting on an overhanging branch above a stream and then diving into the water at lightning speed. However, many species are not dependent on it and mainly eat invertebrates. In the tropics there are even species of kingfishers that feed on reptiles or large insects. These species are not bound to open water and can occur in dry areas.
Kingfishers are monogamous and very territorial. From the age of one year, many species can already breed and try to drive out other conspecifics with considerable persuasion. They nest in burrows of trees, termite nests and earthen walls. Within the family, the number of eggs varies from one to ten and they are glossy white.
Have one in my garden every day.
Beautiful