Malaysian Birds

 Collared Kingfisher

Size & diagnostic markings:- 25 Cm. The Collared Kingfisher is medium size by Kingfisher's standard.  It has a blue colored head, then mantle, wings to the tail in blue. The under part is white together with the neck. The "white" goes around the neck like a collar where the bird gets its name from.

 Distribution :-  The bird is found in the Middle East, east to India and Bangladesh. The down south to Andaman and the Greater Sundas. A very common bird in the Malaysian mangrove forest, seen and heard. 

Habitats & preferences:- This is a lowland bird and that of the Mangrove forest. Hardly seen inland though on couple of occasions the bird were seen far inland as in Kiara Hills.

The Collared Kingfisher by itself as an individual bird at 25cm appears to be a large bird. This is another very common Kingfisher, this time seen exclusively at the Mangrove forest. They never failed to be present and with their signature call, they brighten up life in the Mangrove forest.

Seeing them that often and without fail at the mangrove forest I assumed that they are local. Now I read that there are too passage migrants. Now I understand why at certain times of the year, there seem to be an increase in numbers of the bird sighted.

The pictures here shows a varying tone of blue, I think this has something to do with the lightings and white balances.

 In Malaysia, where can the bird be found:- There is no way of not seeing the bird. It is very common and makes loud calls when it fly off.

With Will would Wander