Pied kingfishers are widely distributed across Africa and Asia. Males have a double black band across their breast. Females have a black chest that is often broken with a white stripe in the middle. They are sociable birds that are usually found in pairs or small family groups and form large roosts at night.
Its black and white plumage and crest, as well as its habit of hovering over clear lakes and rivers before diving for fish, make it distinctive. Males have a double band across the breast, while females have a single broken breast band. They are usually found in pairs or small family groups.
Pied Kingfisher thrives near water bodies, such as rivers, estuaries, lakes, rocky and sandy coasts, lagoons, streams, irrigation ditches, canals, inlets, bays, floodlands, and fresh or brackish water tanks. They perch in nearby trees, posts, poles, and fences. The species has a vast range, occurring in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Asia.
Pied Kingfishers primarily feed on fish, but may occasionally consume aquatic insects, amphibians, frogs, molluscs, and crustaceans. They hunt by hovering around 50 to 65 feet above the water, before plunge diving to catch their prey. With their unique ability, they are considered as the largest hovering bird in the world that can fly without using air currents.
They are skilled not only due to their exceptional hovering ability, but their remarkable vision also plays a vital role in their incredible hunting strategy. These birds can spot the exact position of their victim from above plus their eyesight is not affected by water refraction, allowing them to make sudden movements based on the reaction of their prey.
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