Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher Bird - Facts | Description

The Oriental dwarf kingfisher, scientific name Ceyx erithaca, also called the black-backed kingfisher or three-toed kingfisher is a species of chicken within the family Alcedinidae.

Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher

In this article, I am going to tell you about oriental dwarf kingfisher call, facts, lifespan, female, migration, IUCN, pet, etc.

A widespread resident of lowland forest, it’s endemic throughout a lot of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.

It’s present in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

Discovered throughout Southeast Asia the place the rainforests are dense and shady, this 13cm-long creature hunts by small streams and ponds to take care of its wealthy eating regimen of geckos, crabs, snails, frogs, and spiders.

It captures its meals by hovering or perching above the water, and as soon as it spots its prey, dives deep into the water at speeds of over 40km/h.

This can be a small, purple and yellow kingfisher, averaging 13 cm (5.1 in) in size, with yellow underparts with glowing bluish-black upperparts.

The Oriental dwarf kingfisher, Ceyx erithaca, also called the black-backed kingfisher or three-toed kingfisher is a species of chicken within the Alcedinidae household.

This can be a small, purple and yellow kingfisher, averaging 13 cm in size, with yellow underparts with glowing bluish-black upperparts.

This can be a widespread resident of lowland forest, endemic throughout a lot of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.

It’s present in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

The popular habitat is small streams in densely shaded forests. Within the Konkan area of southwest India, it begins to breed with the onset of the Southwest Monsoon in June.

The nest is a horizontal tunnel as much as a meter in size. The clutch of 4-5 eggs hatches in 17 days with each female and male incubate.

The birds fledge after 20 days and a second brood could also be raised if the primary fails.

The younger are fed with geckos, skinks, crabs, snails, frogs, crickets, and dragonflies. The rufous-backed kingfisher is typically thought of a subspecies.

Habitat

The popular habitat is small streams in densely shaded forests. Within the Konkan area of southwest India.

Geographic range

The Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher’s territory encompasses an enormous geographical space.

It’s endemic throughout a lot of Southeast Asia, South China, and the Indian Subcontinent, and It may be present in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its most well-liked habitat consists of areas that embody small streams in densely shaded, lowland forests.

They’re normally discovered close to small streams in densely shaded, lowland forests.

In Borneo, recognizing an Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher is taken into account as a nasty omen by warriors of the Dusun tribe.

Ceyx erithaca erithaca: resident in southwestern India and Sri Lanka; breeds from Bhutan and northeastern India to southeastern China, Indochina, and the northern Thai-Malay Peninsula (south to the Isthmus of Kra), this inhabitant partially migratory, wintering to the southern Thai-Malay Peninsula and Sumatra

Ceyx erithaca macrocarus: southern Andaman Islands and the Nicobar Islands

Ceyx erithaca motleyi: Borneo and adjoining northern offshore islands

Ceyx erithaca capta: Nias I. (off nw Sumatra)

Description

The Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher is probably the most brightly colored and the smallest of all kingfisher species, measuring solely between 5 – 5.5 inches (13 – 14 cm) in size – together with bill and tail; and weighs about 0.5 oz or 14 g.

The biggest kingfisher is the Big Kingfisher (Megaceryle maxima) with a mean size is 18 inches (45 cm) and a weight of about 13.5 oz (355 g).

It’s simply acknowledged by its vivid blue crown with a violet wash alongside on the perimeters of its in any other case orange head.

The higher plumage is bluish-black with shiny blue traces. The throat is white with vivid orange colored traces within the backside.

The underneath plumage is an excellent orangey-yellow. The bill and toes are orangey-red.

Males and females look alike.

The juvenile plumage is much less colorful.

Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher Feeding

Like different kingfisher species, the Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher hunts from a perch.

Nevertheless, as an alternative of fish (the standard eating regimen of the kingfisher), it primarily feeds on bugs, in addition to small lizards or frogs, if the chance arises.

Earlier than consuming lizards or frogs, it kills them by holding them within the beak and regularly hitting them towards a stone or tree stump.

Kingfishers are extremely territorial birds. They may find a major space primarily based on meal sources, fascinating perching timber, and secure roosting websites.

Like most birds, they are going to seek their meals within the mornings and evenings. If the climate is cooler, they may even hunt for meals throughout mid-day.

Cleanliness is necessary to Kingfishers; they are going to dive into the water to wash, then fly to a perch to preen and dry their feathers within the daylight.

Some will even clear their heads utilizing their wings. They may make the most of a department to scrub their spectacular payments, conserving them in the glorious situation by scraping them backward and forwards.

Breeding / Nesting

It begins to breed with the onset of the southwest monsoon in June. The nest is a horizontal tunnel as much as a meter in size. The clutch of 4 or 5 eggs hatches in 17 days with each the female and male incubate.

The birds fledge after 20 days and a second brood could also be raised if the primary fails.

The younger are fed with geckos, skinks, crabs, snails, frogs, crickets, and dragonflies. The rufous-backed kingfisher is typically thought of a subspecies.

In southwestern India, they start to breed in June – with the onset of the Southwest Monsoon. In different areas, their breeding season stretches from October to December.

The nest is a horizontal tunnel or burrow on a financial institution as much as a meter in size. The nests are constructed by each male and females.

They may take turns burrowing out a tunnel with their toes, after which they are going to hole out a slender chamber on the finish of the tunnel by which to put their eggs. The birds will spend between three and 7 days working to finish their tunnel.

Some birds assault their worksites so forcefully that they’ve fatally injured themselves as they fly into the tunnels throughout these excavations.

Nests constructed in exhausting, much less penetrable floor could have tunnels which are shorter than these dug into sand or smooth soil. Kingfishers are fiercely territorial in defense of their nests.

The clutch normally consists of three to six eggs, that are incubated by each female and male for about 17 days. The chicks are fed with geckos, skinks, snails, frogs, crickets, and dragonflies.

The hatchlings are altricial (with none down, blind and helpless) they usually require care and feeding by the dad and mom, who convey the meals into the nesting chamber and preserve the heat.

Nevertheless, the nestlings develop shortly and shortly they’re able to journey towards the doorway of the tunnel the place they encounter the adults and wait to be fed. Ultimately, they are eating up a perch close to the doorway.

Fledging can final a couple of days to some weeks. After that, the chicks will probably be on their very own and can feed themselves.

The younger fledge (go away the nest) when they’re about 20 days previous. A second brood could also be raised if the primary nesting try was unsuccessful.

Oriental dwarf kingfisher a separate species?

The beautiful colors of the oriental dwarf kingfisher have impressed as a lot of curiosity as they do surprise.

The species boasts two very totally different color combos – the black kind, which supplies them their different frequent identify, the black-backed kingfisher; and the rufous kind, resplendent in a total pinkish-coral hue.

The 2 varieties are so bodily totally different, there’s nonetheless a debate over whether or not the rufous kind needs to be its personal species (Ceyx rufidorsa), or a subspecies of the oriental dwarf kingfisher.

In 2010, biologist Haw Chuan Lim from the Nationwide Museum of Pure Historical past in Washington led research that positioned the rufous kind in Sumatra, Malaysia, Borneo, and Java, and the black-backed kind to the north of those areas.

He recommended that the 2 varieties are far sufficient away to have developed the 2 color varieties, however, they keep their genetic similarities by sometimes crossing paths.

This region-specific coloring is quote uncommon amongst birds, and the oriental and rufous dwarf kingfishers definitely put on it nicely.

Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher Bird – Facts | Description