Blyth's Kingfisher Alcedo hercules Scientific name definitions

22–23 cm. Male head feathers black with glossy bright blue tips, black lores with buffy streak above, buffy-white neck patch; mantle to uppertail-coverts brilliant cobalt-blue, with purple wash to rump and uppertail-coverts; tail dark ultramarine-blue; scapulars and wings blackish green, upperwing-coverts tipped with cobalt; chin and throat buff-white, large blackish-blue breast patch, rest of underparts rufous; bill black; iris reddish brown; legs and feet red. Female has red base to mandible. Juvenile plumage not described.

Streams and small rivers in deep ravines, hilly country and evergreen forest; also possibly on forest streams bordering well-wooded farmland. Occurs from 200 m to 1200 m, mainly 400–1000 m.

Mainly fish, but insect remains found in nest-burrows. From low, concealed perch in bushes overhanging water, it dives in for a fish and returns with it to perch. Some perches used repeatedly.

In flight “pseet” , louder and less shrill than that of A. atthis.

Lays in Mar–Jun, mainly Apr–May, in NE India. Nest in bank of forest stream or vertical face of forest ravine; tunnel straight, initially inclining and then declining to nest-chamber, tunnel 8 cm wide, 45–60 cm long in hard earth but 200 cm long in sandy soil, with chamber 15–20 cm wide and 10–13 cm high. Clutch 4–6 eggs; both sexes incubate, and sit very tight; nest becomes foul with faeces and decaying food remains; no information on incubation and fledging periods.