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Kingfisher

Blink and you may miss the fantastic kingfisher! It's often seen as a flash of blue flying low over a river.

Scientific name

Alcedo atthis

When to see

January to December

Species information

Statistics

Length: 15-17cm
Wingspan: 25cm
Weight: 40g
Average lifespan: 2 years

Conservation status

Classified in the UK as Green under the Birds of Conservation Concern 5: the Red List for Birds (2021). Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.

About

The kingfisher is a colourful bird of rivers and streams. It's often heard before it's seen, giving a high-pitched piping call as it flies. It can sometimes be spotted sitting quietly on low-hanging branches over the water, tilting its head as it searches for prey. When it spots a small fish, it dives into the water to catch it, bringing its prize back to its perch to eat. It often bashes the fish against the branch a few times before swallowing it. Kingfishers nest in burrows that they dig into river banks. The burrow can be over a metre long!

How to identify

The striking mix of its bright-blue back and orange breast make the kingfisher unmistakable. Males have an entirely black bill, females have an orangey-red patch at the base.

Distribution

Widespread, but absent from northern Scotland.

Did you know?

There are about 90 species of kingfisher around the world, most of which have brightly coloured plumage. The Australian kingfisher – the familiar, laughing kookaburra – is the heaviest of all the kingfisher species.