Found across South and Southeast Asia, from the Indian subcontinent through the Malay Peninsula to Indonesia and the Philippines, this large and loud bird is hard to miss. With its brilliant turquoise wings and tail, golden-orange chest, and a massive, bright red bill reminiscent of a stork’s, the stork-billed kingfisher looks like a bird painted straight from an artist’s imagination. It often perches motionless on branches over rivers, mangroves, and ponds, its fiery beak glowing against the greenery—a vivid splash of color in its humid, forested world.
The stork-billed kingfisher is one of the largest kingfishers in Asia, earning its name for that oversized, stork-like bill. Unlike many of its smaller, fish-specialist relatives, the stork-billed kingfisher has a broad and opportunistic diet. While it does catch fish with impressive dives, it also feeds on frogs, crabs, lizards, insects, and even small rodents or birds. It’s a true generalist hunter, equally at home in forest rivers, coastal mangroves, or even village ponds. When it spots prey, it plunges into the water with a loud splash, often returning to the same perch to strike its catch against the branch before swallowing it whole.
Behaviorally, the stork-billed kingfisher is both solitary and territorial, preferring to live and hunt alone or in pairs. Its call—a loud, cackling “kee-kee-kee-kee”—rings out across waterways and forests, often giving away its presence long before it’s seen. The species nests in burrows dug into riverbanks or sandy embankments, where the female lays a small clutch of white eggs. Both parents share the duty of incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks, often working tirelessly to catch enough prey to satisfy their hungry brood. Despite their large size and powerful flight, stork-billed kingfishers are cautious and secretive nesters, fiercely defending their chosen stretch of water from rivals.
Distribution
Bangladesh
Brunei
China
India
Indonesia
Laos
Malaysia
Myanmar
Nepal
Philippines
Singapore
Sri Lanka
ThailandAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
