Pied Kingfisher
Ceryle rudis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderCoraciiformes (Rollers, Kingfishers, and Allies)
- FamilyAlcedinidae (Kingfishers)
- GenusCeryle
- SpeciesCeryle rudis (Pied Kingfisher)
The pied kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) is a species of water kingfisher widely distributed across Africa and Asia. Originally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, it has five recognised subspecies, and is the only member of the genus Ceryle. Its black-and white-plumage and crest, as well as its habit of hovering over clear lakes and rivers before diving for fish, make it distinctive. Males have a double band across the breast, while females have a single broken breast band. They are usually found in pairs or small family groups. When perched, they often bob their heads and flick up their tails. Wikipedia →
40–50% of wildlife watchers report a Pied Kingfisher sighting in Kaziranga National Park, based on 1,130 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Kaziranga National Park
White-throated Kingfisher
Halcyon smyrnensis
Stork-billed Kingfisher
Pelargopsis capensis
Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthis
Blue-eared Kingfisher
Alcedo meninting
Ruddy Kingfisher
Halcyon coromanda
Indochinese Roller
Coracias affinis
Asian Green Bee-eater
Merops orientalis
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater
Merops leschenaulti
Blue-bearded Bee-eater
Nyctyornis athertoni
Indian Roller
Coracias benghalensis
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Merops philippinus
Dollarbird
Eurystomus orientalis
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Pied Kingfisher in Kaziranga National Park?
About 48% of wildlife watchers report a Pied Kingfisher sighting in Kaziranga National Park, based on 1,130 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Pied Kingfisher in Kaziranga National Park?
February has the highest sighting rate for Pied Kingfisher in Kaziranga National Park in our monthly data.