Ceryle rudis is a medium-sized bird of the kingfisher family, the genus Fishhound, with a body length of 27–31 cm. It is very similar in appearance to the crowned fish dog, with black and white spots throughout, but is smaller and has shorter crown feathers on the top of the head. The tail is white with broad black sub-terminal spots and broad white bands on the wings, which are very pronounced when flying. The underparts are white, and the male has two black chest bands, one wider in the front and one narrower at the back, and the female with only one chest band. The white neck ring is incomplete and is interrupted at the back of the neck. Has white eyebrow lines. Spotted fish dog mainly inhabits low mountains and plains streams, rivers, lakes, canals and other open water shores, pairs or groups of activities in larger water bodies and mangroves, noisy, is the only often hovering water surface to feed the kingfisher, food is mainly small fish, eat crustaceans and a variety of aquatic insects and their larvae, but also peck small frogs and a small number of aquatic plants.
Spotted dogs move in pairs or in groups in larger water bodies and mangroves, and are noisy. Mostly flying at a low altitude of a few meters to more than ten meters from the water surface to feed, sometimes close to the water surface, sometimes rising, flying back and forth. As soon as they saw the fish, they immediately converged their wings, plunged into the water, and then rose sharply. When resting, it often inhabits waterside trees, especially dead trees and rocks, or on rocks and branches protruding from the water. At the same time, watch the movement in the water, as soon as you find fish, immediately rush into the water to hunt.
The photo above was taken in 2021 at the Xiang'an Dongdiqiao Reservoir and Shishi Wetland Park in Xiamen, Fujian Province.