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Peek-a-Boo


Peek-a-Boo
Photo Information
Copyright: Chris Neumann (chrisruth) Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 34 W: 0 N: 63] (213)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2010-01-01
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 450D, Sigma 70-300 DG Macro
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/640 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Peek A Boo [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2010-01-18 5:32
Viewed: 4105
Points: 20
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
(Brown-hooded kingfisher) Halcyon albiventris

Bruinkopvisvanger [Afrikaans]; Undozela [Xhosa]; iNdwazela, uNongobotsha, uNongozolo [Zulu]; Muningi (generic term for kingfisher) [Kwangali]; Sipholoti (also applied to Malachite kingfisher) [Swazi]; Tshololwana (generic term for kingfisher) [Tsonga]; Bruinkapijsvogel [Dutch]; Martin-chasseur à tête brune [French]; Braunkopfliest [German]; Pica-peixe-de-barrete-castanho [Portuguese]

The Brown-hooded kingfisher is common in the eastern half of southern Africa, mainly living in woodland habitats, as well as heavily wooded gardens and parks. It has a broad and varied diet, eating a wide variety of animals, rarely eating fish. Both sexes excavate the nest, which is a burrow, normally dug into the walls of gullies. It lays 2-5, rarely 6 eggs, which are incubated solely by the female, for about 14 days. Very little is known about the young. It seems that they are fed mainly fed by the female, and they are fed by their parents after fledging.

Distribution and habitat

Common in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and South Africa, due its adaptability and broad diet. Unlike many other kingfishers, it does not fish often, so it can often be found far from water. It lives in dense woodland, riverine woodland and thicket, edges of evergreen forest, plantations, wooded grassland, large gardens and parks.

Food

It has a varied diet, which includes insects, mammals, birds, reptiles and, rarely, fish. It hunts by sitting on a perch, searching for prey. Once prey is located, it swiftly flies down, seizing the prey before flying back to its perch. The following food items have been recorded in its diet:

Insects

· Orthoptera (crickets and grasshoppers)
· Mantids
· Cockroaches
· Coleoptera (beetles)
· Caterpillars

Reptiles

· Geckos
· Chameleons
· Skinks, including Mabuya capensis (Cape skink)
· Chirindia swynnertoni (Swynnerton's round-headed worm lizard)
· snakes up to 23cm long

Birds

· Cisticolas
· Prinias
· Waxbills
· Cinnyris chalybeus (Southern double-collared sunbird)
· Amphibians
· Arachnids

Breeding

Both sexes excavate a burrow, which is used as their nesting site. It is normally dug into the banks of gullies, consisting of an up to 1.2m tunnel, ending in a 25-30cm wide chamber.

Egg-laying season is normally in September-December, peaking from September-October.
It lays 2-5, rarely 6 eggs, which are incubated solely by the female, for about 14 days.
Very little is known about the young. It seems that they are fed mainly fed by the female, and they are fed by their parents after fledging.

Threats

Not threatened.

References

Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ and Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Roberts - Birds of southern Africa, VIIth ed. The Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town.


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jaycee, Miss_Piggy, Mamagolo2, tuslaw has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Absolutely wonderful capture !!
The colors are magnificent !
The focus is really good !
Congratulations !
Rgds !

  • Great 
  • joska Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 806 W: 0 N: 4092] (22535)
  • [2010-01-18 8:34]

Hi Chris,
It is a very interesting composition of this Bird, TFS!

Hi Chris,
A great and very original photo that you don´t see that often. Most photos of this kingfisher are taken with a clear view, but I like the way you took it. It has a lot more character to it. The photo is a bit on the noisy site, but with some local noise reduction and some resharpening this can be fixed.
TFS,
Niek

P.S. I am adding this to the peek a boo theme.

  • Great 
  • roges Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 957 W: 0 N: 1329] (6264)
  • [2010-01-18 11:27]

Hello Chris,
interesting picture.
Too bad you did not manage to capture a whole, but it is a beautiful composition.
Thanks for posting.
Have a wonderful week,
Adrian

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2454 W: 10 N: 8044] (25460)
  • [2010-01-18 16:11]

Hi Chris,

A perfect title for this beautiful Kingfisher. The face and eye are wonderful, the details of the plumage are amazing and the colors are fantastic. I love the setting in spite of the noise which you could fix up with a noise reduction program.

Jane

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3097 W: 109 N: 12399] (52850)
  • [2010-01-19 12:57]

Hello Chris.
Very nice bird in very good pose. Like also composition. Good sharpness and exposure.
Best regards Siggi

Hallo Chris
Looking at this image, reminds me so much of my 1st posting on Trek Nature as it was of the same bird. They are indeed lovely and I personally see them as very elegant birds. It is such a pity that the one in your image beautiful beak is slightly hidden away behind the branch, but the sparkle in its big round eye makes up for it, but said that I also agree with Niek (Suntoucher) that the way you have captured it, gives it some character. Once again I have to agree with some of the fellow members that in spite of the noise it is a delightful image taken with no pretence pose. Thanks for sharing. I am glad to see you are visiting the site more frequently now a day. Best regards.
Anna

nice composition, TFS Ori

Hi Chris,
Love this image and the detail and colours are stunning. Even though he is half hidden I still think it is a good photo and your title suits it. Very well done and thanks for sharing.
Regards
Natley

  • Great 
  • tuslaw Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2754 W: 282 N: 4931] (19883)
  • [2010-01-23 19:38]

Hello Chris,
You may not have captured this beautiful little guy entirely out in the open, but I like the original composition all the same. Kingfishers are very beautiful birds and you have shown this one off with fine detail and very natural colors. Well done!!
Ron

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