Photo Feature
Look Ma, No Hands
Found near small streams in densely-shaded, lowland forests, an Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher Ceyx erithaca swallows a skink in Chiplun, Maharashtra. Unlike most other kingfishers that feed on fish, the Oriental Dwarf feeds primarily on insects, small lizards and frogs. The smallest of the kingfisher species in India, it overcomes prey such as lizards or frogs by holding them in its beak and repeatedly hitting them against a stone or tree stump before tossing and swallowing them head-first.
Photo: Shivaram Subramaniam