Pied Kingfisher

Ceryle rudis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Alcedinidae — Kingfishers

Pied Kingfisher, Ceryle rudis, is a kingfisher of Africa, the Middle East and the Oriental Region, with a wide breeding range across those areas. First named by Linnaeus in 1758, it is the only species placed in Ceryle. It is a waterbird of clear lakes and rivers, and its black-and-white pattern with a crest makes it easy to pick out. Males show a double breast band, while females have a single broken one. It is usually seen in pairs or small family parties, and birds often bob their heads and flick their tails when perched.

Order
Coraciiformes
Family
Alcedinidae — Kingfishers
Breeding range
Africa, Oriental Region: widespread, also Middle East
Pied Kingfisher
© Alahamali70 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Tours where you can spot this bird

25 tours in The Gambia 10, India 3, Uganda 3, Sri Lanka 3, South Africa 2, Egypt 1, Rwanda 1, Senegal 1, Namibia 1

Northern India Birding Tour: Tigers, Birds and the Himalayas
Northern India Birding Tour: Tigers, Birds and the Himalayas
India / New Delhi Group tour 17 days

A 17-day northern India expedition combining wetland and Himalayan birding with Ranthambhore and Corbett wildlife safaris, the Chambal River...

From USD 9,565 Next: Jan 21, 2027
8-Day Uganda Birding: Lake Mburo, Kazinga Channel and Kibale
8-Day Uganda Birding: Lake Mburo, Kazinga Channel and Kibale
Uganda / Entebbe Custom tour 8 days

Explore Lake Mburo by boat, watch waterbirds on the Kazinga Channel and combine Kibale forest birding with chimpanzee tracking on an eight-d...

From USD 3,118
13-Day Uganda Birding and Primate Safari: Kibale, Bwindi and Mgahinga
13-Day Uganda Birding and Primate Safari: Kibale, Bwindi and Mgahinga
Uganda / Entebbe Custom tour 13 days

Combine Kibale and Bigodi birding with the Kazinga Channel, three Bwindi birding days and primate tracking in a 13-day journey through weste...

From USD 3,957
Muthurajawela Marsh Private Birding Break
Muthurajawela Marsh Private Birding Break
Sri Lanka / Negombo Private tour 1 day

A compact private marsh outing near Negombo, seeking more than 45 species in waterways, reedbeds and wet grassland....

Anawilundawa, Chilaw and Puttalam Private Birding Day
Anawilundawa, Chilaw and Puttalam Private Birding Day
Sri Lanka / Chilaw Private tour 1 day

A private full day through Anawilundawa wetlands, Chilaw sandspits and Puttalam salterns, targeting more than 80 species....

Bellanwila-Attidiya and Bodhinagala Private Birding Day
Bellanwila-Attidiya and Bodhinagala Private Birding Day
Sri Lanka / Colombo Private tour 1 day

A private full day combining the Bellanwila-Attidiya marshes with Bodhinagala forest, with a target of more than 70 species....

Private North Goa Birding Trip with Rahul Alvares
Private North Goa Birding Trip with Rahul Alvares
India / Assagao Private tour 4h

Private morning birding across a North Goa plateau, stream and lake for forest, grassland and wetland species....

From INR 3,600
Private 3-Hour Nile Islands Birdwatching Boat Trip in Aswan
Private 3-Hour Nile Islands Birdwatching Boat Trip in Aswan
Egypt / Aswan Private tour 3h

Explore Aswan’s Nile islands by private motorboat on a three-hour birding session through reedbeds, lagoons and sandy river margins....

From USD 35
15-Day Uganda Birding Tour 2027
15-Day Uganda Birding Tour 2027
Uganda / Entebbe Group tour 15 days

A 15-day Uganda birding circuit from Entebbe through Mabamba Swamp, Lake Mburo, Mgahinga, Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth, Kibale and Semliki for Sh...

From USD 4,685
Lake Kivu Shoreline Birding with Roger Irakoze
Lake Kivu Shoreline Birding with Roger Irakoze
Rwanda / Lake Kivu Private tour 5h

Private half-day birding along Lake Kivu bays and peninsulas for kingfishers, fish eagles and cormorants....

From USD 35
14-Day Senegal and Gambia Combined Birdwatching Trip with Turaco Birding
14-Day Senegal and Gambia Combined Birdwatching Trip with Turaco Birding
The Gambia / Senegal and The Gambia Private tour 14 days

A combined 14-day Senegambia birdwatching trip linking Turaco Birding routes in The Gambia and Senegal....

10-Day Senegal Birdwatching Trip with Turaco Birding
10-Day Senegal Birdwatching Trip with Turaco Birding
Senegal / Senegal Private tour 10 days

An all-inclusive 10-day Senegal birdwatching trip operated by Turaco Birding from its Senegambia birding program....

10-Day Birdwatching Trip in The Gambia with Turaco Birding
10-Day Birdwatching Trip in The Gambia with Turaco Birding
The Gambia / The Gambia Private tour 10 days

An all-inclusive 10-day Turaco Birding trip through The Gambia for coastal, wetland, river and up-country birding....

Birds and Breakfast at Lamin Lodge with Abuko Birding
Birds and Breakfast at Lamin Lodge with Abuko Birding
The Gambia / Lamin and Abuko Private tour 7h

An early Birds and Breakfast outing with coffee at Lamin Lodge, rice-field birding and Abuko Nature Reserve....

Full-Day Gambia Birdwatching Trips with Turaco Birding
Full-Day Gambia Birdwatching Trips with Turaco Birding
The Gambia / Greater Banjul Coast Private tour 11h

A full-day Turaco Birding option from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM combining coastal forests, wetlands, creeks and woodland sites....

Half-Day Coastal Birdwatching Trips with Turaco Birding
Half-Day Coastal Birdwatching Trips with Turaco Birding
The Gambia / Greater Banjul Coast Private tour 5.5h

A half-day private birdwatching option covering Abuko, Farasutu, Brufut Woods, Pirang/Bonto, Kartong, Kotu Creek or Marakissa....

Tendaba and Basse 4-Day Birding Excursion with Turaco Birding
Tendaba and Basse 4-Day Birding Excursion with Turaco Birding
The Gambia / Tendaba and Basse Private tour 4 days

A four-day Turaco Birding route from the coast toward Tendaba and Basse for river, woodland and up-country birding....

Fixed Departure Gujarat Birding and Wildlife Tour
Fixed Departure Gujarat Birding and Wildlife Tour
India / Bhuj Group tour 14 days

Ahmedabad - Velavadar - Gir National Park - Jamnagar - Great Rann of Kutch - Little Rann of Kutch - Ahmedabad...

2-Day West Coast Birding Tour
2-Day West Coast Birding Tour
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 2 days

Explore the Western Cape coast over two days, from Darling farmland and Geelbek shorebirds to a Berg River boat trip and Velddrif wetlands....

10-Day Western Cape Birding Tour
10-Day Western Cape Birding Tour
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 10 days

A private or small-group Western Cape birding itinerary from Cape Town through the Cape Peninsula, West Coast, Tankwa Karoo, Agulhas Plain, ...

Southern Africa Birding Expedition: Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls with Birding Ecotours
Southern Africa Birding Expedition: Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls with Birding Ecotours
Namibia / Walvis Bay Group tour 18 days

An 18-day birding expedition from Namibia's Atlantic coast through Etosha and the Okavango Panhandle to Victoria Falls, combining desert nea...

From USD 10,206
14 Day Comprehensive Nature Adventure Birding- Gambia-Senegal
14 Day Comprehensive Nature Adventure Birding- Gambia-Senegal
The Gambia Group tour 14 days

Experience an unforgettable 14-day birdwatching adventure in The Gambia and Senegal, exploring some of West Africa’s richest and most dive...

From EUR 2,000
11-Day Gambia Birding Expedition
11-Day Gambia Birding Expedition
The Gambia Group tour 11 days

Explore the rich birdlife of The Gambia and Senegal on an eleven-day expedition through some of West Africa’s most diverse and rewarding h...

From EUR 650
7 Day Classic Nature Adventure Birding - Gambia
7 Day Classic Nature Adventure Birding - Gambia
The Gambia Group tour 7 days

Discover the rich birdlife of The Gambia on a week-long journey through wetlands, savannahs, mangroves, forests, and rivers. Guided by exper...

From EUR 550
5 Day Gambia birdwatching Tour
5 Day Gambia birdwatching Tour
The Gambia / Coastal Gambia Group tour 5 days

Experience the highlights of West Africa’s birdlife with a 5-day Gambia birdwatching tour – perfect for nature enthusiasts and avid bird...

From EUR 450