Wearing a shaggy mohawk sets off their pure white chest flecked with jet black plumage in stunning style!
MEET THE CRESTED KINGFISHER
The crested kingfisher (Megaceryle lugubris), is a very large kingfisher that has white plumage underneath which is flecked with black on the back and wings. This bird also has a black flecked chest, sometimes mixed with rufous. On the head is a very large shaggy crest that distinguishes it from the similarly black and white Pied Kingfisher.
The female of the species looks almost identical to the male.
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–A bright orange-yellow throat and equally vivid wings combine to produce a stunning very plump member of the Babbler family!
Though she is lacking the rufous tones the male sometimes has.
This species is native to parts of southern Asia, stretching eastwards from the Indian Subcontinent all the way to Japan.
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The Crested Kingfisher is usually found in the mountains and foothills of resident countries. It can be found near small and larger rivers hunting for fish and crayfish.
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They are sometimes seen perching on overhangs, branches, and partly submerged logs.
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During the breeding season, a burrow is dug into a vertical bank by both sexes in a forested area using their beaks and feet. Anywhere from 4 – 7 eggs are laid and incubated solely by the female. Chicks, when they hatch, are then fed by both parents until they are fully fledged at around 40 days old.
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While this species’ population is stable in some locations, there has been a famous decline in population in northeastern China. This decline is linked directly to habitat destruction.
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WATCH AND LISTEN TO THIS BIRD RIGHT HERE IN THE VIDEO BELOW:
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