Creature Feature: Stork-billed Kingfisher

You’ll have no trouble identifying the stork-billed kingfisher (Pelargopsis capensis) when you see it – its size, bright ocher and blue-green color, and prominent red beak makes it unmistakable.

The largest kingfisher in the Philippines, the stork-billed kingfisher (locally called kasay-kasay) is usually found in coastal areas, riverine forests, and mangroves. Inside the El Nido Resorts properties, it’s often seen in the trees along the sides of the cliffs, perched on a branch over the water. There it patiently waits until it spots and dives for a juicy fish it wants to snack on. The stork-billed kingfisher builds its nest about 1.5 to 9 meters off the ground, inside an excavated termite mound.

The stork-billed kingfisher ranges from India, southwest China, to southeast Asia and the Philippines. Two endemic races are found in the Philippines (gouldi and gigantea), with gouldi endemic to Palawan and Mindoro.

Keep an eye out for this striking bird when you come visit!