Alcedo meninting
The Blue-eared Kingfisher (Alcedo meninting) is a dazzling gem of Asian waterways, distinguished by its brilliant plumage and swift, darting flight. A relatively small kingfisher, measuring approximately 16 cm (6.3 inches) in length with a wingspan around 25 cm (9.8 inches), it typically weighs between 20-30 grams. Its upperparts are a deep, iridescent cobalt blue, contrasting sharply with rich rufous underparts, while its namesake blue ear-coverts provide a key identification mark differenti...
This species primarily inhabits clear, shaded, slow-moving streams and small rivers, typically within dense tropical and subtropical evergreen forests, from lowlands to moderate elevations. It often favors areas with overhanging vegetation providing perching sites and shade.
Its diet consists mainly of small fish, particularly minnows and fry, supplemented by aquatic insects like dragonfly larvae, small crustaceans, and occasionally tadpoles. It hunts by plunge-diving from a perch over water.
A largely solitary and intensely territorial bird, the Blue-eared Kingfisher is diurnal, spending its days perched patiently on low branches or roots over water, keenly observing its surroundings. Its primary foraging strategy involves a rapid, direct plunge-dive from a perch to snatch small fish...
The Blue-eared Kingfisher boasts a widespread distribution across tropical Asia, extending from the Indian subcontinent eastward through Southeast Asia to the Philippines and Indonesia. In the Indian subcontinent, its range includes parts of India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. Further east...
Least Concern
- The Blue-eared Kingfisher's iridescent blue plumage is not due to pigment, but to the microscopic structure of its feathers which scatter blue light, a phenomenon known as structural coloration. - It can dive into water at speeds estimated over 40 km/h (25 mph) to catch prey with remarkable pre...