
photo: Harprit Singh

photo: Andy_LYT

photo: Chong Lip Mun

photo: Lawrence Neo
Habitat: Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand
Status: Least Concern
This gorgeous bird is called the Rufous-backed Kingfisher (Ceyx rufidorsa), a tiny species of kingfisher that doesn’t let its small stature get in the way of its hunting its favorite foods.
These birds grow to be around 5 1/2 inches in length and when held by a human you can see just how small these guys are in comparison.

photo: Anthony Overs

photo: David Drynan
You’d think that these tiny birdies would go after prey their own size (or smaller) but actually, that’s not the case. They’re solitary hunters who stake out a single branch that typically overhangs a pool of water. There they will sit and wait until something wanders on by, whether it be a snake, lizard, crab, or what have you. Then, in the blink of an eye, the Rufous-backed Kingfisher swoops down and snatches up its meal.

photo: Lawrence Neo
As you can see, they have no problem going after prey that can be twice the size of their bodies! This is definitely a case when your eyes are bigger than your stomach.