The animal world of our planet never ceases to amaze us with the presence of amazing creatures of the most unusual shapes and colors. Some of them are so bizarre that it seems that nature has created them with a playful mood.
We present to you another choice of the most amazing, unusual, little-known or rare representatives of the fauna from different parts of the world.
The Eastern dwarf kingfisher, also known as the ruby kingfisher or three-toed forest kingfisher, is the most colorful and smallest of the kingfishers. It is a pocket-sized bird easily distinguished from other birds of its range by its red beak, yellow-orange underparts, lilac-red upperparts, and blue-black backs.
These birds are common in South and Southeast Asia. They live in forests and wetlands. Their preferred habitat is wooded lowlands near small streams or ponds.
Eastern dwarf kingfishers are only slightly larger than medium-sized hummingbirds and are 12.5–14 cm long (including beak and tail). Males are slightly larger than females. On the other hand, both sexes are the same. This kingfisher has 3 toes, which explains why it is sometimes called a three-toed kingfisher.
Ruby kingfishers often hunt from ambush nests. They feed on insects and other invertebrates. They can pull spiders out of webs, catch flying insects, and can also dive into the water to hunt.