White-Throated Kingfisher In Flight – Birding In Goa

Diving into the still waters of the Mandovi River at Malim jetty, this in-flight white-throated Kingfisher bird managed to catch a fish. And flew back to the nearby mangroves to relish. Malim jetty located on the northern side of the Mandovi River, by the side of the bridges connecting Panjim and Porvorim, is a jetty exclusively for fishermen. Motorized boats with loads of captured fish are unloaded, sorted, and then packed off in ice by trucks to the consumer destinations.

White-throated Kingfisher In Flight

It is interesting to notice that the Kingfisher bird intensely watches the waters. For a considerable time before taking a quick, short, sharp plunge to catch the prey. They don’t dive deep. Nor can they spot the prey in rapidly flowing waters. Hence they perch on the plants, trees, dry poles by the river edge, and lakes to spot their prey. They also pick up insects from the fields while plowing activity is on and the insects deep in the soil get exposed.

This bird (Halcyon smyrnensis) is also known as the white-breasted kingfisher and is widely distributed in Asia. It can often be found away from water where it feeds on a wide range of prey that includes small reptiles, amphibians, crabs, small rodents, and juvenile birds.

Local names in India

Hindi: Kilkila, Kourilla; Himachal Pradesh: Neela Machhrala; Punjabi: Wadda Machhera; Bengali: Sandabuk Machhranga; Assamese: Masoroka, Gujarati: Kalkaliyo, Safedchati Kalkaliyo; Marathi: Khundya; Tamil: Vichuli; Telugu: Lakmuka, Buchegadu; Malayalam: Ponman; Kannada: Rajamatsi.

About the White-throated Kingfisher Bird

It is a colorful bird especially in-flight. Reddish large beaks, primarily blue feathers with streaks of white and blackish by the borders, white throat, red feet, and brown head are the common features of the bird. It is a common bird of Goa and India. Mostly seen near water bodies and fields.

It is about 20 centimeters long and weighs about 60-80 grams. It has a large head, a long, pointed bill, and a short tail. The adults are blue and green on the back and head, with a white throat and breast. They are found near water, where they hunt for small fish, frogs, and insects. Perching on a branch or a rock near the water and watching for prey. When they see a fish, they dive into the water and catch it with their bill. They then fly back to their perch and eat it.

A noisy bird and its call is a loud, rattling laugh, reportedly having an average lifespan of about 10 years.

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