© H. Çağlar Güngör
© Aravind Amirtharaj
© Neoh Hor Kee
© Adithya Bhat

Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata

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Identification

POWERED BY MERLIN

An unmistakable mid-sized kingfisher with a jet black head, white collar, and blood-red bill. It has purple-blue upperparts and pale orange-rufous underparts. Throat is white, blue tail has black underside, and in flight, white flashes on the underwings are conspicuous. Juvenile is duller blue with a small rufous-buff spot in front of the eye, a buffy collar, and dusky scaling on the breast. Calls similar to White-throated Kingfisher, but Black-capped’s are slightly higher-pitched. Frequents mangrove swamps and coastal wetlands, but often wanders up into hill streams.

POWERED BY MERLIN