Birds Around Me 0083 - Common Kingfisher छोटा किलकिला, राम चिरैया, शरीफन, निता मछराला (Alcedo atthis)
In 2014, it was the first time I saw and photographed Common Kingfisher छोटा किलकिला, राम चिरैया, शरीफन, निता मछराला (Alcedo atthis) in Jabalpur, India. It was an experience on its own. I was sitting with my dad by the side of a small lake literally in front of our home talking about rubbish being dumped in the water bodies all over Jabalpur. Once renowned for its water bodies, the only name of those remain postal addresses. I had my camera with me because my dad wanted me to click a photo of him with his friend. All of a sudden we saw a bird diving in, a colorful one. It was Common Kingfisher and it flew and perched literally 5 meters from me. And it wasn't just the Common Kingfisher that we saw that day, but also a couple more White-throated Kingfisher (किलकिला, श्वेतकण्ठ कौड़िल्ला) / Halcyon Smyrnensis and Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis).
Since then I have photographed these birds in RSPB Rye Meads, Stocker's Lake, and Hemel Hempstead using my amateur gear. Craving to get a better pose of this strikingly beautiful bird.
Common Kingfishers are small bright blue and orange birds of the water stream. It is a little smaller than a Starling but dumpy, with a very short tail and extremely long bill. Male has all black bill, female shows reddish base to lower mandible. Juvenile as similar to adults but duller (source: RSPB).
They fly rapidly, low over the water, and hunt fish from riverside perches, occasionally hovering above the water's surface. It is usually seen by the stream, tank or puddle perched on a low overhanging branch, or flying swiftly close over the water. As it sits on a low branch over water the bird constantly bobs its head up and down, turning it this way and that, and jerking up its stub tail to the accompaniment of subdued click. All the while it is intently scanning the water below for the fish or tadpole. On sighting the quarry it drops on it with a splah, bill foremost, going under but persently reappearing with it held crosswise between the mandibles, and dashes off to a nearby perch where the victim is battered to death and swallowed (source: Common Birds of India - Salim Ali & Laeeq Futehally)
Kingfishers are known for the unsanitary conditions of their nests, which become littered with droppings and fish bones.
Hindi name of bird Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis): छोटा किलकिला, राम चिरैया, शरीफन, निता मछराला
Birds Around Me - Unfinished List (अपूर्ण सूची)
Ashutosh Jhureley @BirdsAroundMe
birds.rekabira.in/p/this-is-list-of-birds-i-clicked-since...
Birds Around Me 0083 - Common Kingfisher छोटा किलकिला, राम चिरैया, शरीफन, निता मछराला (Alcedo atthis)
In 2014, it was the first time I saw and photographed Common Kingfisher छोटा किलकिला, राम चिरैया, शरीफन, निता मछराला (Alcedo atthis) in Jabalpur, India. It was an experience on its own. I was sitting with my dad by the side of a small lake literally in front of our home talking about rubbish being dumped in the water bodies all over Jabalpur. Once renowned for its water bodies, the only name of those remain postal addresses. I had my camera with me because my dad wanted me to click a photo of him with his friend. All of a sudden we saw a bird diving in, a colorful one. It was Common Kingfisher and it flew and perched literally 5 meters from me. And it wasn't just the Common Kingfisher that we saw that day, but also a couple more White-throated Kingfisher (किलकिला, श्वेतकण्ठ कौड़िल्ला) / Halcyon Smyrnensis and Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis).
Since then I have photographed these birds in RSPB Rye Meads, Stocker's Lake, and Hemel Hempstead using my amateur gear. Craving to get a better pose of this strikingly beautiful bird.
Common Kingfishers are small bright blue and orange birds of the water stream. It is a little smaller than a Starling but dumpy, with a very short tail and extremely long bill. Male has all black bill, female shows reddish base to lower mandible. Juvenile as similar to adults but duller (source: RSPB).
They fly rapidly, low over the water, and hunt fish from riverside perches, occasionally hovering above the water's surface. It is usually seen by the stream, tank or puddle perched on a low overhanging branch, or flying swiftly close over the water. As it sits on a low branch over water the bird constantly bobs its head up and down, turning it this way and that, and jerking up its stub tail to the accompaniment of subdued click. All the while it is intently scanning the water below for the fish or tadpole. On sighting the quarry it drops on it with a splah, bill foremost, going under but persently reappearing with it held crosswise between the mandibles, and dashes off to a nearby perch where the victim is battered to death and swallowed (source: Common Birds of India - Salim Ali & Laeeq Futehally)
Kingfishers are known for the unsanitary conditions of their nests, which become littered with droppings and fish bones.
Hindi name of bird Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis): छोटा किलकिला, राम चिरैया, शरीफन, निता मछराला
Birds Around Me - Unfinished List (अपूर्ण सूची)
Ashutosh Jhureley @BirdsAroundMe
birds.rekabira.in/p/this-is-list-of-birds-i-clicked-since...