When Belted Kingfishers dive on a fish from an elevated perch they need to get to the fish quickly, before it disappears in the depths. The powerful initial speed burst requires plenty of room around them for their wings to open and extend both vertically and horizontally. But sometimes obstacles, usually branches and twigs, prevent their wings from fully opening so they have to adapt.
The first two photos below are older photos I’ll use to document typical takeoffs where the kingfisher has plenty of room to open its wings. The last four photos, taken ten days ago, document a female kingfisher taking off after a fish when obstacles prevented her from fully opening her wings.
So she had to adapt, which slowed her down.
Kingfishers need to accelerate quickly on a dive so if there’s room for their wings to fully open vertically, they use it. This is the beginning of the first wing flap in a dive on a fish.
This is the mid-point of the first wing flap in a dive on a fish. Here the wings are fully flared and extended horizontally (relative to the kingfisher), providing an initial burst of acceleration and speed.
But this female kingfisher ten days ago was fishing from a perch that had twigs and branches completely and closely surrounding her. It was almost like she was enclosed in a cocoon of twigs with only a narrow opening in front of her for her body to pass through when she took off after a fish.
So when she did spot a fish and take off after it, she couldn’t fully open her wings for fear of hitting some of the twigs with her wings.
She essentially had to fall through the opening in the “cocoon” of twigs before she could fully open her wings, which prevented her from accelerating as quickly as she normally would.
It wasn’t until this third shot in her dive that she was able to open her wings and really begin to accelerate.
So yes, she missed the fish. I don’t know if she missed it because her takeoff was slow, but it certainly didn’t help.
I notice little behavioral details like this in my photos. Much ado about nothing I suppose but it wasn’t “nothing” for the kingfisher. Unless you’re talking about the fish she didn’t get.
Ron
Awesome Ron – in-flight and diving – not something you often see
with Kingfishers
Thank you, Everett.
Wonderful series and contrast in behaviors between the two kingfishers leaving their respective perches. Methinks the quality has much to do with the photographer, although he often gives the credit to the R5. 😉
Hope this lovely lady was able to get some breakfast!
I think we both deserve credit, Marty. But without the R5, I’d be wasting my time even trying for some kinds of shots.
Perhaps she will learn that a more ‘photographic’ fishing spot is also better for her.
I suspect she will. And quickly.
I do love your behavioural series.
“Perhaps she will learn that a more ‘photographic’ fishing spot is also better for her.”
I hope she does, EC. I’m tired of finding her buried in, or blocked by, branches.
I love this interesting, educational and beautiful kingfisher sequence!!!
Good. Thank you, Eloise.
For sure NOT much ado about nothing! For one, that you see these tiny details and know what they mean, and two, that you can convey the info to your audience – that’s a pretty big deal!
I was thinking (and probably Ms Kingfisher was too) that she needs to find a better fishing perch. So very worrisome that those open perches are disappearing.
Thank you for the biology lesson today!
Thanks, Carolyn. Those mostly dead trees were presumably removed for ‘safety’ reasons. At least I’m sure that would be their excuse.
The beauty of your photos stands alone as a good enough reason to follow your work. Noticing the behavioral details revealed by them is just one more (sometimes thought provoking) reason which makes this experience all the richer.
This post made me think that the clear path needed for acceleration is probably a big factor for these birds when (as you have pointed out) establishing a favorite fishing perch.
All that aside, photos 2 and 5 are my favorites for today.
Much appreciated, Michael.
Appropriate fishing perches for kingfishers in this area are now at a premium. Last year, several dead trees that provided much better fishing perches for kingfishers were removed – much to my consternation.
WOW! That’s a skill that would take some time to master methinks! 😉
“Methinks” too, Judy.
Sounds as if that “new eye” has been well worth obtaining–will you be having the other one done soon ? Photo #5 made me wonder
how difficult it would be for the bird to accurately “aim” a full body
fall, through obstacles, wings folded, especially at speed……birds are such wondrous critters !
Kris, at this point I have no plans to get my other eye done anytime soon. It isn’t nearly as bad as my right eye was and my brain seems to concentrate on my ‘new’ good eye, giving me what I interpret as excellent vision. I see my surgeon again next month and we’ll see what he has to say about having my left eye done.
This is a ridiculously difficult species to keep sharp on take-off with no obstacles. Well done, Ron! You must have been grinning ear to ear when you saw this on your computer! Kingfishers remind me of torpedoes every time they take flight. Pity the poor fish.
Diane, I don’t know if I was grinning but I was certainly pleasantly surprised that the photos were sharp with all of those twigs in front of and surrounding her. Thanks R5.
You certainly are observant. Thanks for sharing all your insights and knowledge!
“You certainly are observant.”
Burrdoo, when you spend as much time processing photos as I do, it’s hard not to be observant. My “new eye” makes it even harder. 🙂