Goa photographer documents nesting cycles of oriental dwarf kingfisher

Panaji: The brilliantly coloured oriental dwarf kingfisher (Ceyx erythaca), partially a migrant, usually nests in forests where a stream or a pond provides steady food supply. This makes it tough to document the bird round-the-clock, with birding enthusiasts commonly paying communities near nests to gain access to look into its mating, feeding, and brooding care.Now, a Goan bird photographer, Shailendra Naik, has carried out the first-known documentation of the bird’s life cycle up close within the state, covering the entire process 24x7 over three years, including 12 young ones taking flight.Already a keen amateur bird photographer, Naik first noticed a nest being created by a male oriental dwarf kingfisher in a mud retaining wall near an urban area. He immediately committed to documenting the bird’s movements, setting up two CCTVs, besides utilising his camera. He would eventually watch one male oriental dwarf kingfisher mate with three different females over three years, with four young ones taking shape each year.Naik’s documentation led to some interesting insights. “Watching the life cycle of this tiny kingfisher unfold so close to home has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” he said.“The cycle lasts from end of May to Sept each year. My home in Ponda lies in the foothills of the Western Ghats, which is rich in biodiversity. Each year, the male attracts a female, who will examine the nest first. If she accepts to mate him, he then arrives with prey to initiate the mating,” said Naik.A waterbody being located nearby influenced the selection of the location by the oriental dwarf kingfisher for the nest.“As I documented the bird’s nesting, I saw that both male and female oriental dwarf kingfishers take equal part in incubation of eggs and caring for the young ones. Even the first flight of a hatchling is interesting, as they are fed a good diet, but are kept starving when it is time for them to take their first flight. This is because the young bird is hesitant. The parents hold prey in their beaks to coerce the hatchling out,” said Naik.He said the process of documentation was not without challenges, as snakes and monitor lizards try to prey on the oriental dwarf kingfisher’s eggs.“The smell of the waste from the gecko and other food in the nest directs the predators to their nest. Another challenge for the oriental dwarf kingfisher is that usually, the last of the four hatchlings is normally weaker and is more difficult to train into flight,” said Naik.The nest is a tunnel in the mud wall, leading to the main nesting area. The same nest is used by the male the next year to carry out the nesting and brooding process with another female.The documenter now looks forward to another chapter of nesting starting from end of May 2026.“To study these kingfishers without disturbing their natural behaviour, I set up a CCTV camera near the nest. This allowed me to record their daily activities—from courtship to fledging—24 hours a day. I also took careful measurements of the nest tunnel and chamber. This non-invasive approach helped me gain deep insights into their behaviour while ensuring the birds were never stressed or threatened. CCTV monitoring is the most ethical way to study shy species,” said Naik.He said the entire process taught him that even small green patches in semi-urban areas can prove crucial for wildlife conservation.