Ruddy Kingfisher

The ruddy kingfisher is a medium-sized tree kingfisher, about 25 cm long, widely distributed in east and Southeast Asia. The body is rust red, generally deepening to purple at the tail, with a very large, bright red bill and equally red legs. There is little difference between the sexes, though some sources report males somewhat brighter (Wikipedia, general species account).

Its range runs from South Korea and Japan in the north, south through the Philippines to the Sunda Islands, and west to China and India. Because it prefers heavily forested areas, its high, descending call is more often heard than the bird is seen, and birds generally travel singly or in pairs. It is migratory, with northern birds going as far south as Borneo in winter. Like other kingfishers it generally feeds on fish, crustaceans and large insects. SoIB 2023 rates it a Moderate conservation priority, a resident and summer migrant of forest with a Restricted range of about 16,000 km² (Wikipedia, general species account; SoIB 2023).