Common Kingfisher catching a prawn

Here again are images of a Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), this time catching a prawn and swallowing it. These images are part of a series taken by eager photographers in Jurong during the 2008 arrival of this winter visitor and passage migrant. These were taken by Calvin Chang a.k.a Deswitch at the Japanese Garden on 5th October.

Unlike crabs, prawns are easy to manipulate. And whether prawn or crab, the kingfisher will soon cast a pellet consisting of the indigestible shell. If more photographers are patient enough, they may be able to catch the bird at casting the pellet.

Images by Calvin Chang.

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.