Species profile
About the pied kingfisher
Pied kingfishers are among the easiest African kingfishers to recognise. They can hover almost stationary over water, then fold their wings and dive head-first for a fish. This ability lets them forage farther from a perch than many other kingfishers.
They are especially rewarding on a boat safari or quiet lakeshore, where repeated hunting attempts can be watched without disturbing the bird.
Life in the wild
Behavior & relationships
Behavior
Hovers, plunge-dives and returns to a perch to swallow fish. Often calls conspicuously while flying low over water.
Social life
Seen alone, in pairs or in loose groups. Nests communally or semi-colonially in tunnels excavated into sandy banks.
What makes it remarkable
Special features
One of the few kingfishers able to hover for sustained periods; black-and-white plumage is shared by both sexes, with different chest bands.
