Talk:Pied kingfisher

Untitled

This species is believed, on the basis of genetics, to be descended from an ancestral American green kingfisher which crossed the Atlantic Ocean about 1 million years ago.

Removed above section... appears odd, since related species are found in Africa, Northern India (Megaceryle). Please put it back with citation if needed. Shyamal 03:31, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

If you refer to Water Kingfisher, it gives a clearer picture. This is actually one of the more straightforward kingfisher ancestries compared to the other two more taxonomically complex families. The six American species are descended from an River kingfisher that crossed the Bering Straits. Later, at two different times, water kingfishers crossed the Atlantic to produce the ancestral Pied Kingfisher, and the ancestor of the Giant and Crested Kingfishers.

In this context, the Atlantic is not the insuperable barrier it might seem for large kingfishers. Belted Kingfisher is a rare vagrant to western Europe, and there was one in the UK this year.

Hope this clarifies, jimfbleak 07:41, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Unique Evolution Strategies

The article before my edit implied that hovering and diving bill first into water were the strategies that the Pied Kingfisher evolved. This is done by other kingfishers, although maybe not as often. Looking at the wording already existing in the article, the fact that it can hunt without a perch and over estuaries seems to be the unique strategy. A book I was reading also seemed to say that the fact it can hunt over fresh and saltwater is also unique, referenced in article. The two are related. In my previous edit I therefor changed the sentence order to reflect my understanding of this. Are there any objections? Mehmet Karatay 12:29, 13 May 2007 (UTC)

Gallery

The gallery at the bottom of this article does not seem to add anything to the content of the article. For this reason I have removed it, as all the pictures are on commons under Commons:Category:Ceryle rudis, which is linked to from the article. This is in agreement with the consensus reached on the giraffe talk page. Mehmet Karatay 15:29, 13 October 2007 (UTC)

File:Pied kingfisher.jpg to appear as POTD

Hello! This is a note to let the editors of this article know that File:Pied kingfisher.jpg will be appearing as picture of the day on September 22, 2015. You can view and edit the POTD blurb at Template:POTD/2015-09-22. If this article needs any attention or maintenance, it would be preferable if that could be done before its appearance on the Main Page. Thanks! — Chris Woodrich (talk) 00:12, 5 September 2015 (UTC)

Picture of the day

The pied kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) is a species of water kingfisher found across Africa and Asia. They are usually found in pairs or small family parties. When perched, they often bob their head and flick up their tail. They mainly eat fish, but will take crustaceans and large aquatic insects.Photograph: Artemy Voikhansky

Common kingfishers

The pied kingfisher is estimated to be one of the three most numerous kingfishers in the world; the other two are the common kingfisher and collared kingfisher. Given the collared has been broken up into six species this probably isn't accurate anymore. Sabine's Sunbird talk 21:04, 26 May 2017 (UTC)

Featured picture scheduled for POTD

Hello! This is to let editors know that File:Pied kingfisher_(Ceryle_rudis_leucomelanurus)_male.jpg, a featured picture used in this article, has been selected as the English Wikipedia's picture of the day (POTD) for November 14, 2023. A preview of the POTD is displayed below and can be edited at Template:POTD/2023-11-14. For the greater benefit of readers, any potential improvements or maintenance that could benefit the quality of this article should be done before its scheduled appearance on the Main Page. If you have any concerns, please place a message at Wikipedia talk:Picture of the day. Thank you!  — Amakuru (talk) 12:19, 6 November 2023 (UTC)

The pied kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) is a species of water kingfisher widely distributed across Africa and Asia. Originally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, it has five recognised subspecies. Its black and white plumage and crest, as well as its habit of hovering over clear lakes and rivers before diving for fish, make it distinctive. Males have a double band across the breast, while females have a single broken breast band. They are usually found in pairs or small family groups. When perched, they often bob their head and flick up their tail. This male pied kingfisher of the subspecies C. r. leucomelanurus was photographed by the Chambal River in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp

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