Bird · Resident
Pied Kingfisher
How to identify the pied kingfisher
Entirely black and white, with a shaggy crest. The male has two black bands across the chest; the female has one, broken in the middle.
Where to see the pied kingfisher in Murchison Falls National Park
Everywhere along the river: hovering over the water, sitting on overhanging branches and nesting in holes in the bank.
Habitat
Rivers, lakes and swamps with open water and banks for nesting.
What the pied kingfisher eats
Small fish, with some aquatic insects.
Behaviour
It hovers in one spot, bill pointing down, then plunges head first. It can swallow small fish in flight, so it fishes far from perches. Pairs often have helpers at the nest.
Best time to see the pied kingfisher
All year. Resident, here all year.
Last reviewed 5 October 2026. Further reading: en.wikipedia.org.
Questions about the pied kingfisher
Which kingfisher hovers over the water?
The pied kingfisher. It is the kingfisher you will most often see holding still in the air above the river before it dives.
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