Unmistakable due to their bright colouring, Kingfishers are notoriously difficult to spot because of their secretive and wary nature. Rapid flyers, they can most commonly be found near undisturbed shallow streams of water where they will hunt for their freshwater prey. There are over 90 species of Kingfisher which can be found all over the world. Although they are less common in the northern parts of the United Kingdom, they are more widespread in central and southern England. They have been known to visit garden ponds if they are of an appropriate size.

Length: 16-17cm

Wingspan: 24-26cm

Conservation Status: Amber

Description: A small and plump bird, the Kingfisher is similar in size to a house sparrow and has a long dagger-like bill and relatively large head. The two sexes are very similar in their markings with the exception of the bill which is black for the male with a reddish base for the female. Adult Kingfishers have a green crown, nape and wings with a bight blue back and tail. The under parts and cheeks are orange, with the throat and collar being white, their legs and feet are coral red. Juvenile Kingfishers lack the brilliance of the adults and tend to have a bluish-grey breast and legs and feet which are a dull orange. The Kingfisher has a shrill whistling call and is similar to a Starling’s bubbling whistle.

Nesting: Kingfisher live in both wetland and woodland habitats and will usually nest in tunnels in stone-free banks of slow moving streams. The tunnels, which are normally between 30-90 cm (12-36") long, are excavated by both the male and female and are usually about 0.5m from the top of the bank. To protect their eggs from predators, Kingfishers will tend to choose banks which are free of vegetation. Kingfishers do not bring any materials to their nesting sites; instead the eggs are laid in a slight hollow at the end of the tunnel which prevents the eggs from rolling out. Normally 6-7 glossy white eggs are laid in March or early April and both sexes will share the incubation duties for an average of 19-21 days. Depending on the abundance of food in the area, the chicks will tend to leave the nest after 24-25 days. Kingfishers will re-use their tunnels for up to 2 or 3 broods, starting the next brood 4 days after the young have left the nest.

Feeding: Fresh water fish constitute a large part of the Kingfishers diet, especially minnows and sticklebacks. They will also feed on aquatic insects and occasionally crustaceans and tadpoles. When catching its prey the Kingfisher will perch on a branch over or by the stream where it can locate a suitable target and assess the depth of the water. Diving down into the water, the Kingfisher will be effectively blindfolded as it opens it beak to catch its prey. It will then return to its perch where it will swallow the fish whole.

Before eating its prey the Kingfisher will stun the fish by repeatedly striking it against it perch. This is the only way to ensure that the spines in some fish are relaxed enough for the Kingfisher to swallow the fish whole!