The pied kingfisher feeds mainly on fish, although it will take crustaceans and large aquatic insects such as dragonfly larvae.
It fishes by watching for preys from a perch, bobbing head and flicking tail, and then by diving into the water making shower of water, and appearing again with its prey in the bill.
It also may hover above water before diving, taking time to locate prey. This way it can hunt over large water bodies or in estuaries that lack perches that are required by other kingfishers.