The Bird That Swallows Its Prey Mid-Flight
By: EjazUlHaqBhat
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The pied kingfisher is a medium-sized, black-and-white kingfisher with a distinctive crest and a long, sharp bill
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Pied kingfishers are known for their dramatic hunting techniques. They hover over water, then dive headfirst into it to catch their prey
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They can dive at speeds of up to 90 km/h and catch prey from up to 60 cm underwater. They can also swallow their prey while in mid-flight
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Pied kingfishers primarily eat fish, but also eat crustaceans and large aquatic insects
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Males have a double black band across their breast, while females have a black chest with a white stripe in the middle
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Kingfishers dig burrows in earthen banks for nesting. Their nests are often very dirty, littered with droppings, pellets, and fish bones
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Many young kingfishers die shortly after fledging because they become waterlogged during their first dives
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To compensate for this high mortality rate, kingfishers usually have two or three broods per year, with up to 10 chicks in each brood
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