This is another documentation of the Stork-billed Kingfisher (Halcyon capensis) catching a young Common Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) by Kennie Pan. This fish is not native to the region but introduced for food. This is probably the most successful and widely distributed of the tilapias.

The kingfisher was successful in catching this fish after three tries, diving at intervals of five to 20 minutes. The bird is often around Symphony Lake at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Sometimes it flies off after a few unsuccessful dives, to return in the evening or the next day.

As Kennie wrote, “I realised that the Stork-billed is a ferocious predator when, instead of picking up the fish from the water by scooping it into it’s beak, it just dived-bombed directly at it’s target. It flapped its wings during the initial dive, to fold them as it gains momentum just before touching the water.

“The speed was so fast that most probably the fish had little chance of escaping. Due to the powerful impact, the beak just pierced right through the fish, probably killing it instantly, though it still whacked the fish against the branch when it returned to its favourite perch. After about three minutes of whacking, it flew off with its catch.

For about two weeks recently, Kennie Pan was at the Singapore Botanic Gardens keeping watch on a pair of Stork-billed Kingfisher (Halcyon capensis) around the Symphony Lake. Normally, the kingfisher came out between 7 am and 12 noon, perching on a branch of its favourite tree, keeping watch on the water below.

“Out of the total 10 days I went there, the last day was a lifer for me. Both the female and the male came out and fished at the same area, but on different branches. This made me suspect that it’s juvenile was hungry. It’s dive for fishes was 50% success (left top). The fishes at the lake are so used to being fished that they will submerge even when disturbed by the shadow of a sparrow flying above.

“The bird finally swopped down from it’s favourite perch and caught the fish (left bottom). Flying back, it thrashed the the fish against the branch every 5-20 seconds to subdue it before flying back to its nest to feed it’s young.”

I sent the image to Dr Khoo Hong Woo, a retired fish expert once attached to the National University of Singapore and received the following reply;

“I think its an armoured catffish, probably thrown away by an aquarium owner… the prominent pectoral spines (catfish) and the armoured ridges on its body point to this species. Not a native catfish I think, one of those armoured catfish quite popular with aquarists. I checked with two altenative possibilities. Could be a flathead fish (Platycephalus sp.) or the dragonet (Callionmymid sp.). (features not clear hence these alternatives).”

This post is a cooperative effort between NaturePixels.org and BESG to bring the study of bird behaviour through photography to a wider audience.

A White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) was photographed by Joseph Yao swallowing a lizard nearly as long as itself. This, of course includes the lizard’s long tail.

The lizard was caught and brought back to the kingfisher’s perch where it was subdued by bashing it against the wooden billboard. The lizard was then grabbed by the head and with one flick of the bird’s head, was swallowed head-first.

The entire process of swallowing lasted only 90 seconds when only the end portion of the tail was still projecting out of the bill.

The food of this kingfisher includes insects, crustaceans, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and small mammals. In the above case, the lizard, from head to tail was slightly longer than the bird itself. It has not been observed how long the end of the tail disappeared into the bird but there have been cases where it may take some time for the head end to be digested before the tail end completely disappears into the bird.

This post is a cooperative effort between NaturePixels.org and BESG to bring the study of bird behaviour through photography to a wider audience

All images by Joseph Yao.

Willis documented a White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) catching a Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata) at Wak Hassan Drive, opposite Sembawang Park. The documentation was done way back in April 2005 and only now made available to viewers.

“The kingfisher was perching on a nearby railing when it spied the munia. It immediately dived down into the grass and grabbed the helpless bird. The prey was brought back to the perch and whacked repeatedly against the metal railing, sending feathers flying all over (above). So severe was the thrashing that the head of the dead bird was nearly severed (below left). Even after the head was totally severed, the body of the munia was still a little too large for the kingfisher to swallow (below right).

“After a while the bird flew to a nearby perch (below left) where it was joined by its mate. The mate appeared aggressive and wanted a piece of the prey. It grabbed at the dead munia. There was a struggle and the mate ended with a piece of the thigh (below right).

“It seems that the kingfisher regularly hunts small birds. During my birding around the area, I’ve seen it caught munia twice, only that I did not have my camera with me then, so it wasn’t documented. So I think this particular White-throated Kingfisher has grown to love eating munias.

“There is a pair resident in the area. Their usual diet consists of insects and lizards, which are abundant in the area.”

Wells (1999) reports the White-throated Kingfisher taking White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus) chicks, Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) and munias (Lonchura sp.).

Reference:
Wells, D.R. (1999). The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsular. Vol. I, Non-passerines. Academic Press, London.

This post is a cooperative effort between NaturePixels.org and BESG to bring the study of bird behaviour through photography to a wider audience.

All images by Willis.

This documentation of a Black-capped Kingfisher (Halcyon pileata) catching a fiddler crab was made in the Mai Po marshes of Hongkong (above). Jianzhong Liu a.k.a Jz first posted the images in NaturePixels.org in March 2008

The Black-capped Kingfisher breeds in the Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, Indochina and Korea. It winters in many parts of Southeast Asia. In Singapore as well as in Hongkong, it is a rare winter visitor and passage migrant, although Hongkong sees an occasional bird during summer.

The bird is seen mainly in tidal mudflats feeding on crustaceans. Along the coasts it takes mainly crabs and fish. Elsewhere, it may take beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, bees and wasps. Occasionally it takes frogs and lizards.

The kingfisher usually perches on a convenient location to survey the surroundings. From here it flies out to take the prey. In this particular case, it hovered above the crab for a moment, its wings flapping up and down, in order to maintain its position (above, below left).

It suddenly drew its wings upwards and plunged down into the mud (above right). At the same time when it landed, it expertly picked up the crab in its bill (below). Then, with a great effort, it brought its wings downwards to provide lift and flew off with its prize between its bill (top). Normally, just before plunging, its nictitating membrane will cover its eyes to provide protection. However, this has not been captured in the images.

The crab is a smallish calling crab, also known as fiddler crab, recognised by its distinctively asymmetric claws. According to Prof Peter KL Ng, the crab expert at the National University of Singapore, it is possibly Uca vocans or Uca lactea. The crab in the images appears to be a male as it has an over-sized claw that was waved in the air in a futile attempt at dissuading the kingfisher’s advance. This large claw is also waved around during courtship to attract females.

Why the crab decided to stand its ground and not scuttle into its burrow is a puzzle, considering the huge threat looming above.

References:
1. Carey, G.J., Chalmers, M.L., Diskin, D.A., Kennerley, P.R., Leader, P.J., Leven, M.R., Lewthwaite, R.W., Melville, D.S., Turnbull, M. & Young, L. (2001). The avifauna of Hong Kong. Hong Kong Bird Watching Society.
2. Wells, D.R. (1999). The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsular. Vol. I, Non-passerines. Academic Press, London.
3. Woodall, P.F. (2001). Family Alcedinidae (Kingfishers). Pp. 130-249 in: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Sargatal, J. eds. (2001). Handbook of the birds of the world. Vol. 6. Mousebirds to Hornbills. Barcelona: Lynx Editions.

This post is a cooperative effort between NaturePixels.org and BESG to bring the study of bird behaviour through photography to a wider audience.

All images by Jianzhong Liu.