A kingfisher is much more than a bird that hunts and catches fish, especially when it comes to the white-breasted kingfisher. Everything you wanted to know about this generalist, colorful and vocal bird. The hottest questions about the most interesting animals. Zvav website.
By Adi Weinberger, Zavit – Science and Environmental News Agency
Three species of kingfishers can be found in Israel: the fringed kingfisher, the dwarf kingfisher, and the And a white-breasted kingfisher – the largest among them, which is quite common in the local landscape. We are used to thinking of kingfishers as skilled fish hunters, but the case of the white-breasted kingfisher is exceptional. To understand in depth what makes this colorful and vocal bird a success story in Israel, we spoke with Dr. Yoni Wortman, head of the Department of Animal Sciences at Tel Hai – a university in the making.
Where can you find the white-breasted kingfisher in Israel and around the world?
As mentioned, the species is very common locally. "In Israel, it is found in all non-desert areas. However, in recent years, along with agriculture, its distribution area has expanded to desert areas. In the world, it is an 'oriental' species, meaning a species found in South Asia, from South China through India to Israel and even South Turkey and the Nile."
How is the white-breasted kingfisher different from other kingfisher species?
"It is a predator, but a very, very generalist (feeding on a wide variety of food sources, by the way). Unlike other kingfishers, which specialize, for example, in hunting fish or other aquatic animals, the food that kingfishers eat is extremely diverse. First, most of their menu does not consist of fish at all. Their hunting menu includes insects (mainly beetles), reptiles, mammals, birds, amphibians, crustaceans, and also some fish. This ability to become a skilled hunter of such different and diverse prey is one of their most fascinating behaviors."
What does this say about their role in the ecosystem?
"As generalist predators, white-breasted bats can specialize in prey that is found in high quantities in a specific area. For example, the sick bat is often seen standing on a branch with a brook frog in its mouth and trying to break down this large prey. A generalist predator is often a keystone species – a species that has a significant impact – in ecosystems."
What are the biggest threats to the white-breasted kingfisher?
"Being a generalist, it currently seems to be very successful in places where humans have created disturbance. It is an example of a species that is currently not harmed by humans, but is expanding its range in response to humans. In Israel, the white-breasted kingfisher has expanded its range with the spread of agriculture and gardening. It can be seen Within cities "And in the vicinity of agricultural fields in the desert. You can sit in a cafe and hear his poetry coming through the window."
According to Wortman, thanks to its generalist nature and its high ability to adapt to changes in prey and environment, it seems that the climate crisis is not expected to have a significant and clear impact on its survival. However, "the outbreak Avian Influenza "The one that was in the valley four years ago apparently managed to hit him too, so he's not immune, but he's definitely a kind of adaption."
Although the name White-breasted Kingfishers emphasizes their white chest, this is a bird with beautiful feathers in shades of turquoise-blue and chestnut-brown. What is behind this colorfulness?
"Their color plays a role in courtship, with males having a slightly brighter blue color and a more saturated brown color compared to females."
"In addition to the bright colors, their singing is powerful and can be heard from anywhere." in research I was a partner in it, along with Dana Klein, who was a master student in my lab at the time, and Prof. Yizhar Levner. We showed that both males and females can produce complex sounds and unique vocalizations, but that the rhythm The courtship song "The males' singing is faster. The faster a particular male's singing is, the more successful he is at getting females, with a larger clutch."
It's also interesting to know that the beak of the kingfishers is not just for singing and eating. "They dig a nest in the ground with their beak, a meter deep. At the end of the burrow, they create an inner chamber about the size of a football - and everything is done only with the beak."
What else have you discovered recently about white-breasted kingfishers?
"Another interesting fact is that there are significant differences between the population in Israel and other populations in the world, for example during incubation. In a follow-up study that has not yet been published, conducted by Rimon Levin, who was a senior researcher in my lab, we examined the differences between the population in Israel and the population in Singapore and India. It seems that there are significant differences, and it seems that there are microevolutionary processes here (small genetic changes in the population, which occur after a relatively short time; over time, they can lead to significant evolutionary changes, such as the splitting of one species into two separate species, etc.)."
"Despite their ecological role and widespread distribution, breastbones have been almost unstudied. Any research on them will yield new discoveries."
How did you decide to research kingfishers?
"It started as part of my teaching in the Department of Animal Sciences at Tel Hai. I prepared myself for the first tours of the Hula Pond and looked for articles on the ecology of the species. This is one of the most noticeable species in the Hula Pond – it is colorful and loud and is found all year round. I saw that there were almost no articles and academic knowledge. Since the evolution of color and song are things that fascinate me, I decided to delve into it."
The research was supported by the Israel National Foundation and the Patient Research Center, a joint venture with KKL-JNF Tel Hai.
How is kingfish research actually done?
"The research takes place mainly in nature, and then continues in the laboratory for analysis of bird recordings and genetic research. The difficult field work was done by interns Dana Klein and Rimon Levin. It's really hard work: they had to get up early in the morning, reach the nesting sites on the water's edge before first light, and finish in the hot hours. In the next stage, the computer work to analyze the sounds was done in Prof. Yizhar Levner's laboratory, and it was also full of challenges."
"Nothing is easy, but on the other hand there are many beautiful and rewarding moments. I was lucky to have excellent students."
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