birds. In India, nestlings have been found to be prone to maggot infestations (probably by Protocalliphora sp.) and in some areas to leeches. Nest holes may sometimes be used for roosting. In 1947, British zoologist Hugh B. Cott noticed while skinning birds that hornets were attracted to certain birds but avoided the flesh of pied kingfishers. This led to a comparative study of edibility of birds and he suggested that more conspicuously plumaged birds may be less palatable. This suggestion was, however, not supported by a subsequent reanalysis of his data. References Further reading External links Pied Kingfisher Species text in the Atlas of Southern African Birds Photos and video pied kingfisher Birds of China Birds of India Birds of Indochina Birds of Sub-Saharan Africa Birds of East Africa pied kingfisher Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus