White-throated Kingfisher

Brown Reads (Halcyon smyrnensis ) in Haryana, India

The Brown Reads (Halcyon smyrnensis ) is a common, from Turkey to the Philippines kingfisher.

Features

The 26 to 39 cm long Brown Reads is colored bright blue on the back, the tail and on the wings. Across the shoulders, flanks, head, and lower abdominal plumage is chestnut brown. The throat and breast are white. The beak and legs are coral red. In Flight shines on the upper side of the sky-blue carpal spot, under hand, the large white wing box.

Habitat

The Brown Reads is not so much tied to water as other kingfisher species. It breeds in dry agricultural landscape, palm groves, parks and sometimes clearings, but still mostly near the water on steep banks. 4-7 round white eggs are laid in a 50 cm long tube.

Food

The Brown Reads hunts large insects, rodents, snails, fish, frogs and songbirds.

Subspecies

Four subspecies are known

• H.S. smyrnensis Distribution: From Izmir ( Smyrna Greek ) in western Turkey, and Cairo in Egypt south to the Caspian Sea, northern Persian Gulf, Pakistan, Afghanistan and North West India
• Appearance: chin, throat and breast white

• H.S. fusca Distribution: India and Sri Lanka to Taiwan and Hainan, Indochina, Malay Peninsula and Sumatra
• Appearance: Slightly dark, the blue has a less green tone.

• H.S. saturatior Distribution: Andaman
• Appearance: as H.S. smyrnensis only darker brown

• H.S. gularis Distribution: Philippines
• Appearance: as H.S. fusca, but only the chin and throat are white, black on the wing