Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

The Common Kingfisher is a small blue-and-orange bird native to Eurasia and parts of North Africa. It flies low over water and dives headfirst from a waterside perch to catch small fish. It is not native to the United States.

Appearance

Appearance: It is about 6.7 in (17 cm) long, with a large head, short tail, and long bill. It is blue on top and orange underneath. A female usually shows orange on the lower bill; an adult male's bill is dark.
Voice: A thin, sharp whistle often gives the bird away as it speeds past.

Look-alikes

Belted KingfisherMegaceryle alcyon

The North American Belted Kingfisher is much larger at 11–14 in (28–35 cm), has a shaggy tuft of feathers on its head, and is blue-gray and white rather than bright blue and orange. Common Kingfishers are only about 6.7 in (17 cm) long and have no such tuft of head feathers.

Why they get mixed upBoth are fish-eating birds with large heads and long pointed bills.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: slow streams and rivers
lakes and ponds
estuaries in winter
Range: Its natural range stretches across Europe, Asia, and parts of North Africa. Northern populations move south when waterways freeze, but it is not a native U.S. bird.
Preferred conditions: It needs shallow water where fish are visible, nearby perches, and a soft vertical bank for its nesting tunnel.

Behavior

Diet: Small fish make up most of the diet, with aquatic insects and small also taken.
Activity: It watches from a waterside perch, dives headfirst, and carries its catch back to the perch before swallowing it headfirst.

Life cycle

Nest: The pair excavates a tunnel in a riverbank or other soft earthen face and nests in a chamber at the end.
Clutch size: Usually 6–7 glossy white eggs.
Incubation: Incubation lasts about 19–21 days.

Name and classification

About the name: The Common Kingfisher is also called the Eurasian Kingfisher.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction

11 sources