The ruddy kingfisher is a medium-sized tree kingfisher, widely distributed in east and southeast Asia.
Region
East and Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Favors dense lowland and hill forests, including evergreen and mixed woodlands, swamp forest, and mangroves. Common along shaded streams, in bamboo thickets, and in mature secondary growth with a closed canopy. Typically perches quietly in the midstory or lower canopy, sallying to the ground, leaf litter, or shallow water for prey. Uses forest edges and clearings after rain when invertebrate activity is high.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Despite being a kingfisher, it often hunts away from open water, taking prey from forest floor and shaded streams. Its rich ruddy plumage and bright red bill make it distinctive, but it can be surprisingly elusive in dense foliage. Northern populations migrate south after breeding, while many tropical island populations are resident. It sometimes nests in cavities or arboreal termite mounds.
H. coromanda by John Gerrard Keulemans
Ruddy kingfisher at Sunderban tiger reserve, India
Ruddy Kingfisher from Sulawesi, Indonesia
Temperament
shy and secretive
Flight Pattern
direct, fast flight with rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually solitary or in pairs during the breeding season. Nests in tree cavities, earthen banks, or occasionally arboreal termite mounds; both sexes help excavate and incubate. Clutches typically contain 3–5 eggs, and both parents feed the young.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
A series of clear, whistled, piping notes, often repeated in steady sequences from shaded perches. Calls can include descending whistles and soft chuckling notes. Vocalizations carry well through dense forest and are often heard at dawn.
Plumage
Uniform rich ruddy to chestnut plumage with slightly darker wings and tail; silky, unpatterned appearance.
Diet
Primarily large insects such as beetles, cicadas, grasshoppers, and crickets. Also takes small frogs, lizards, crustaceans, and occasionally small fish or earthworms. Hunts from low to mid-level perches, dropping to the ground, leaf litter, or shallow water to seize prey. Prey is typically subdued by beating it against a perch before swallowing.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in shaded forest interiors, along streams and pools, and within mangroves. Often uses quiet glades, forest edges, and paths where invertebrates are abundant, especially after rainfall.
