Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – Giant Kingfisher

THIS week, we review Africa’s largest kingfisher, the Giant Kingfisher, which is not only large but also a very attractive bird!

Also read: Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – Lanner Falcon

Description

This is a large (44cm) and heavyset (364g) bird with a very impressive dagger-like beak. You are unlikely to mistake it for any other species as it has the characteristic shape of a kingfisher but is significantly larger than any of the other kingfishers. The males have a rufus upper breast while the rufus part in females is on the belly. The wings and back are slate black with white speckles, and the throat and some underparts are white with black speckles.

Distribution

Ten species of kingfisher can be found in Southern Africa, of which six occur in the Highway area. The Giant Kingfisher is found throughout Southern Africa except for the very dry western parts of the country.

Habitat

The Giant Kingfisher can be found wherever there are bodies of water with suitable perching spots nearby. It can often be spotted near rivers, small streams, ponds, dams and estuaries.

Feeding

The Giant Kingfisher is a true ‘fisherman’ with a strong preference for fish. It hunts from a perch, diving fast and sometimes deep into the water to catch its prey. Their prey is usually brought back to the perch where it is repeatedly beaten before being swallowed headfirst. It will also feed on frogs and crabs. They often hunt in pairs.

Breeding

The Giant Kingfisher is monogamous and solitary in its nesting habits. Both adults will build the nest, which is usually an excavated tunnel in a vertical bank. Three to five eggs are laid, which take approximately 26 days to hatch.

Predators and threats

The Giant Kingfisher is not considered to be under threat, but it is increasingly vulnerable to poisoning from pollution that enters our rivers and streams.

Local information

As the Giant Kingfisher relies heavily on fish, it is not very common in the Upper Highway area where there aren’t many natural water habitats. The good news is that it does adapt to fishing in relatively small ponds, so if you have a pond in your garden, do look out for it.

Interesting facts

Kingfishers have aerodynamic beaks, which enable them to fly very fast and dive into water, making a minimum splash. The beaks are so aerodynamic that the design of Japanese bullet trains was inspired by them.

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