Kingfisher
Species Information
Shantanu Kuveskar [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons
Statistics
Scientific name: Alcedo atthis
Length:Â 15- 17cm
Wingspan:Â 25cm
Weight:Â 40g
Average lifespan:Â 2 yearsÂ
Conservation status
Classified in the UK as Amber under the Birds of Conservation Concern 4: the Red List for Birds (2015). Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.
When to see
January to December
About
The kingfisher is a famously colourful bird of rivers and streams. It can be spotted sitting on low hanging branches quietly over the water. It will suddenly dive in to catch a small fish. When breeding kingfishers can move to lowland watercourses and lakes that have suitable banks for burrowing nests and shallow edges for feeding.
How to identify
Males and females are similar in size and colouring apart from their bills. Males have an entirely black bill, females have an orangey-red patch at the base. They are a striking mix of bright-blue and cyan on their back and wings with a metallic copper breast.
Did you know ?
There are around 90 species of kingfisher around the world, most of which have brightly coloured plumage. However, did you know that kingfisher feathers are actually brown in colour? We see them as dazzling orange, cyan and blue due to a phenomenon known as structural colouration. Although there is some pigment in the orange feathers, the cyan and blue feathers have no pigment, and instead contain special structures which reflect and scatter blue light. Blue light has a shorter wavelength compared to other colours and as a result, we see the semi-iridescent blue we associate with this striking bird.
The Australian kingfisher (laughing’ Kookaburra) – is the heaviest of all the kingfisher species.
How you can help?Â
Did you know you can help wildlife in your local river ? You can do this in many ways from reporting pollution to SEPA, by not flushing wet wipes down the toilet and even at one of our many conservation volunteer days. Check out our Get Involved page for more information on how you can get involved with your local river.