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Common Kingfisher in comfort behaviour

YC Wee
on 3rd November 2008

The arrival of the Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) in Singapore around October 2008 saw many photographers documenting this common winter visitor and passage migrant. The bird arrives as early as 14th August and as later as 14th May.

The images here by Rane Wong a.k.a Reno shows the bird preening its wings.

Common Kingfisher often preen immediately after bathing in water. This forms an important part of its comfort behaviour. First, one wing is raised to allow the bird to reach the primary and secondary flight feathers and draw each one in turn through its mandibles. Then the other wing is raised and the prcess is repeated. In this way the bird keeps its feathers in perfect order.

Images by Rane Wong.

This post is a cooperative effort between www.naturepixels.org and BESG to bring the study of bird behaviour through photography to a wider audience.

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

Other posts by YC Wee

Bird Society of Singapore: A credible alternative to the Nature Society’s Bird Group

11th December 2023

Singapore-Nature: 17. Citizen Science

30th August 2023

Singapore-Nature: 16. Living close to nature

18th August 2023

Singapore’s secret “garden”

20th July 2023

Singapore-Nature: 15. Looking versus studying birds

12th July 2023

2 Responses

  1. Pingback: Bird Ecology Study Group » Indian Cuckoo in comfort behaviour
  2. Pingback: Bird Ecology Study Group Osprey in comfort behaviour

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Any views and opinions expressed in the articles are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

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