Avian rhapsody

Just another day, just another meal, the Chestnut-breasted Malkoha with this amphibian catch.

 And a rhapsody.

It was interesting, to put it mildly, how the prey was positioned and repositioned before a meal was made of it!

Relentless bashing of an elastic unyielding victim.

The malkoha frequently donned its nictitating membrane during the kill.

Almost five minutes later, the consumption ritual was finally completed, or so I thought.

Away from prying eyes, another round just to make sure that the avian stomach would not be challenged internally!

Without a raptorial curved or hooked beak to bite and tear, the prey had to be swallowed in its entirety.