Aves > Coraciiformes > Alcedinidae > Ceyx
Ceyx erithaca (Linnaeus, 1758) – Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher
Taxonomic Notes:
Ceyx erithaca – Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher
Nesting/juveniles:
Indian and global distribution:
records (based on images):
Identification:
Brilliantly coloured forest kingfisher with corel red bill. It has dark blue back and wings. Rump have vivid pink patch with some orange feathers. Taiil have dark orange color. Belly and underparts of wing are pale orange. Crown is fuschia-red, with a dark spot on the forehead and blue and white patches on the side of the neck. Chin and throat are white.
Newly fledged chicks have black beaks with white tip. Color changes to corel red as chicks grow old
Sexual, seasonal & individual variation:
Newly fledged chicks have black beaks with white tip. Color changes to corel red as chicks grow old
Male and Female looks similar. But females are usually dull in colour.
Status, Habitat and Habits:
Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher is forest kingfisher found in shady and moist places. In India it is found in two populations. One population breeds in Northeast states like Assam while second population is found across Western Ghats and its foothills. North-eastern population breeds from March while Western Ghats population breeds from June which coincides with onslaught of monsoon. There is breeding population in Srilanka also which might be part of same western ghats population.
Species is found throughout the year where there are flowing streams in shady forests. Lack of breeding records from Kerala and Karnataka suggests main breeding population in Southern India probably migrates from southern states towards northern western ghats in Maharashtra and Goa where it is found in good numbers during months of June to September
Species is found throughout the year where there are flowing streams in shady forests. Lack of breeding records from Kerala and Karnataka suggests main breeding population in Southern India probably migrates from southern states towards northern western ghats in Maharashtra and Goa where it is found in good numbers during months of June to September
References:
Aves > Coraciiformes > Alcedinidae > Ceyx
Cite this page along with its URL as:
Anonymous. 2023. Ceyx erithaca (Linnaeus, 1758) – Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher. Satose, V., A. Bayani, V. Ramachandran, P. Roy, and K. Kunte (Chief Editors). Birds of India, v. 2.17. Indian Foundation for Butterflies.
http://www.birdsofindia.org/sp/1219/Ceyx-erithaca
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