2025-03-15 · White-throated Kingfisher (Vellore)
Story
Just before sunrise, a cool breeze slipped through my car window as I watched the fields wake up. A brave White-throated Kingfisher perched on a pot placed there to scare birds away—claiming the very thing meant to chase it. It flicked its tail, flashed that electric blue, and posed like a little rebel of dawn. I clicked, smiled, and let the morning settle in.
Field Guide
• Common / Scientific: White-throated Kingfisher — Halcyon smyrnensis (Tamil: வெண்கழுத்து மீன்கொத்தி)
• Location / Date: Vellore, Tamil Nadu — Mar 2025
• ID notes: chocolate-brown head and chest; bright white throat and breast; vivid turquoise-blue wings/back; long red bill
• Behavior: sits boldly on exposed perches (wires, poles, stakes); sudden darting dives; often calls with sharp, laughing notes
• Habitat / Range: farms, wetlands, scrub, even towns—common across much of India
• Diet: fish, insects, lizards, small crustaceans; opportunistic feeder
• Look-alike tip: vs. Common Kingfisher—this species is larger with a white throat and chocolate head (not cobalt overall)
• Location / Date: Vellore, Tamil Nadu — Mar 2025
• ID notes: chocolate-brown head and chest; bright white throat and breast; vivid turquoise-blue wings/back; long red bill
• Behavior: sits boldly on exposed perches (wires, poles, stakes); sudden darting dives; often calls with sharp, laughing notes
• Habitat / Range: farms, wetlands, scrub, even towns—common across much of India
• Diet: fish, insects, lizards, small crustaceans; opportunistic feeder
• Look-alike tip: vs. Common Kingfisher—this species is larger with a white throat and chocolate head (not cobalt overall)
Tech / Notes
Before-sunrise ambience from the car window; perched on a field pot.
Ethics: no baiting/playback; kept respectful distance; minimal frames.
Ethics: no baiting/playback; kept respectful distance; minimal frames.
