Malachite Kingfishers spotted at Durban Botanical Gardens
Malachite Kingfishers have distinctive plumage coloration with a contrasting sandy brown underside, royal blue upperside, and a turquoise crown.
THE Malachite Kingfisher is a brightly coloured small bird, measuring about 13cm in length, with a royal blue upperside, sandy brown chest, turquoise crown, and large red beak. They are widely distributed through most of Africa, south of the Sahara, where they are a common sighting in reeds, ponds or slow-moving rivers.
“It is a bird that I enjoy seeing when I visit a permanent waterway, however, their shyness and small size makes them rather difficult to photograph.
“I recently visited the Durban Botanical Gardens where I observed two individuals who have become quite accustomed to humans and seem to enjoy posing for the camera,” said Warren Dick, a professional snake catcher and avid bird watcher, who enjoys photographing birds and other wildlife.
Also read: How to attract birds to your garden
Like most other kingfisher species, breeding is done in a burrow, dug into the side of a sandbank, usually that of a riverbank. The burrow usually goes upwards where four to six eggs are laid on fishbones and disgorged pellets that are used for nesting material. Both male and female actively partake in every facet of raising the chicks.
Hunting for food is usually done from a perch above the water. The bird will suddenly drop down to the water to catch an unsuspecting fish or insect. Smaller prey items are swallowed without any hassle, however, slightly larger fish are beaten against a perch before being swallowed.
Contact Warren to have some of your interesting insects, snakes or other wildlife identified. Call or WhatsApp him on 072 211 0353, or visit his Facebook page, Warren’s Small World
Watch the video to hear what sound Malachite Kingfishers make.
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