The Kingfisher Family of Intaka Island, Cape Town
The resident Malachite Kingfishers recently added a pair of juvenile kingfishers to their family. It is no secret that most birders frequent Intaka Island, a bird sanctuary nestled amongst the concrete edifices of Century City to get a glimpse of the malachite kingfishers. A visit to Intaka island without spotting the malachite kingfishers is fraught with disappointment even if the numerous other birds residing or making an appearance there satisfies one's birding addiction. Here then are the newly arrived pair: Like any other parents the babies were duly introduced to the world, taught to fly, feed and fend for themselves. I visited the island a month after these photos were taken and can report that the babies are growing steadily into fully fledged malachites who are able to fend for themselves. I am most intrigued at how they have grown in such a short period of time. The parents, or more specifically the mother kingfisher duly caught fish and fed the babies. The bo...