The White throated Kingfisher, Halcyon smyrnensis are also known as White- breasted Kingfisher or Smyrna Kingfisher. It is a tree kingfisher, which is essentially resident apart from seasonal travels.

This large White throated kingfisher measures a length of twenty-eight centimeters. The adult has a bright blue back, wings and tail. Its head, shoulders, flanks and lower parts of the belly are chestnut in colour while the throat and breasts are white in colour.

The flight of the White throated Kingfisher is rapid and direct. The bill and legs are bright red in colour. When the bird flies, large white patches are visible on the blue and black wings. There is no difference in the male and female species but the adolescents are dull in colour than the adult. It is a noisy kingfisher and it makes a chuckling call chake-ake-ake - ake -ake.

The White throated Kingfisher rests on wires, and hunts large insects, rodents, snakes, fish and frogs. It has a vibrant display in which the wings are opened to show the white patches. The bird builds a nest in a fifty centimeters tunnel in an earth bank. In a single clutch, the female lays four to seven white eggs.