Home › Aves › Halcyonidae › Stork-billed Kingfisher (Pelargopsis capensis)
SPECIES PROFILE
Stork-billed Kingfisher (Pelargopsis capensis)
Pelargopsis
IUCN STATUS
Least Concern
CONSERVATION STATUS
Least Concern
CLASS
Aves
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Indian subcontinent southeast Asia
DIET
Carnivorous
HABITAT
Rivers lakes mangroves
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Aves
ORDER
Coraciiformes
FAMILY
Halcyonidae
GENUS
Pelargopsis
📋 Description
SIZE
35-38 cm long 150-200 g
COLORATION
Blue wings green back red bill brown head
ADAPTATIONS
Large bill for catching large prey perches near water
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Rivers lakes mangroves
DIET
Carnivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Indian subcontinent southeast Asia
REPRODUCTION
Lays 3-5 eggs in burrow nests incubated 20-23 days
DIET DETAILS
Fish crustaceans small reptiles
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Water pollution habitat loss
💡 Interesting Facts
1
Heavyweight Hunters: Stork-billed Kingfishers dive with 180-gram bodies catching 50 grams of fish daily in Sundarbans' rivers. Their red bills are massive.
2
Mangrove Monarchs: These kingfishers cover 3000 sq km in Odisha's waters nesting in riverbanks. Pollution threatens their prey.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Sundarbans National Park in West Bengal
Chilika Lake in Odisha
Thattekad Bird Sanctuary in Kerala
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
October-March Dry season enhances visibility near water for spotting kingfishers
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Watch stork-billed kingfishers perched on branches over rivers
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