Until not long ago, the kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) was one of the most common and numerous birds in wetlands and rivers throughout the Iberian Peninsula. However, many factors have favored a drastic reduction in the number of these birds, even being a species of special interest that unfortunately is included in the Red Book of birds in Spain for being "almost threatened".
In this article on our site we talk about the characteristics of the common kingfisher, its diet, habitat and much more. Read on to learn more about this beautiful bird.
Origin of the kingfisher
The common kingfisher is a species that is found scattered throughout rivers, lakes and wetlands in Asia, Africa and Europe In the past, it was a very abundant species, its populations were numerous and covered large extensions of territory. Today the species has been threatened by various environmental changes and shortages, which is why populations are much smaller and more dispersed.
The kingfisher is a coriaceous bird, like bee-eaters or rollers, which belongs to the alcedinidae family, its scientific name being Alcedo atthis.
Characteristics of the kingfisher
The kingfisher is a small bird, measuring between 16 and 17 centimeters long, from beak to tip tail, and has a 24-26 cm wingspan Its body is compact, with a short tail and legs, a relatively large head and beak compared to its body and colorful plumage, as it is quite colorful.
In addition to size, color is another of the most relevant characteristics of the kingfisher. The color of the feathers is different in the different parts of the body. For example, its head and wings are a striking blue color, although we must point out that in young specimens this color tends more towards a turquoise green. On the other hand, the legs are of a reddish tone, the throat is white, the eyes are orange, the ventral region and the spots that it presents in the area of the cheeks are orange and the lower part of the beak is black in the males and orange in females, which would be the only characteristic that would show sexual dimorphism.
The Kingfisher's song is high-pitched and rapid, quite strident and penetrating. Its flight is very characteristic, as it moves at high speed but at low altitude, flapping its wings dizzyingly fast.
Kingfisher behavior
The kingfisher is a solitary bird that only lives with others of its species during the mating season, which we will talk more about ahead. At the same time, we are dealing with a very territorial animal because it must have very controlled space to know where to find food. Therefore, it is common for each kingfisher to have its own territory and fight to defend it if another kingfisher enters it.
Kingfisher Habitat
The kingfisher bird inhabits rivers and lakes, as well as wetlands, from various parts of Asia, Europe and Africa. In the Iberian Peninsula, for example, it is more frequent in the north, in the western areas, Sierra Morena, Andalusia and Catalonia. Normally, it only lives in areas with a altitude below 1000 meters , although if the weather is mild it can also be found in higher areas.
This is a migratory bird that can travel great distances to find the right climate. However, if it is in an area that already has a correct climate, it tends not to migrate. On the other hand, these birds make their nests on sandy slopes near areas where there are freshwater courses, since that is where they find their food. A curiosity is that when they are in the final phase of mating, these birds use fish bones as a resource to build their nests.
Kingfishers are very sensitive to pollution and, at the same time, they also require lush vegetation in the areas where they live and fish. Due to the high levels of water pollution, together with deforestation and possible frosts that prevent the kingfishers from reaching the fish, the populations of this bird have been seriously depleted in recent times, so it has been included in the category of near threatened species.
Kingfisher feeding
What do kingfishers eat? The diet of kingfishers is based, as we can deduce from their name, on the animals and insects that they catch in rivers and wetlands. Thus, the diet of the kingfisher can be based on from small fish to crustaceans, insects or amphibians As a curious fact, we can say that this small animal must eat about 60% of his body weight, so he spends a lot of time fishing.
Now then, How does the kingfisher fish? The kingfisher bird always tends to follow the same method, so it will first locate itself in a place from which it can stalk and keep an eye on its possible prey. It usually perches on the branches of trees near the water or stones on the shore, ultimately resorting to simply staying in the air with an energetic flap of its wings. Once the kingfisher has sighted its prey, it proceeds to dive into the water, starting by inserting its beak and keeping its eyes closed, so it is vital that it has correctly calculated the distances to its prey. If you are successful in fishing, the bird will quickly come out of the water to eat you with incredible greed.
Kingfisher reproduction
Kingfishers typically breed about twice a year,in spring and summer. The first reproductive cycle begins in the month of April, at the end of this, when the male begins courtship to find a female. In this courtship, the male kingfisher must present the female with a fish to offer it as food, which she tends to move to get her attention. If the female accepts it, mating occurs. If she discards it, the male will eat it and try his luck again.
When mating occurs, the pair digs the tunnel to build their nest. To do this, they choose riparian areas where the soil is sandy and they make tunnels between 30 and 90 cm deep. At the end of this tunnel, they create a circular chamber about 15 cm in diameter, then line it with materials from the remains of their food, such as fish scales or bones. It may also be that the couple takes advantage of the nest of other animals such as water voles or sand martins.
When the pair finishes building the nest, they often use the same one for almost all clutches, unless it is destroyed or deteriorates. The layings are in April the first and in June the second. Normally, they lay between 5 and 7 eggs, which are white, oval and small, since their size is about 22x18 millimeters.
Once the eggs are laid, incubation will be joint, since both the male and the female incubate them alternately. After about 19 or 22 days, the chicks will hatch. Kingfisher pups are born naked and their skin is bluish-pink. After spending between 23 days and a month with their parents in the nest, the offspring will be ready to go out into the world, first staying in areas near the nest and then moving away to become permanently independent. Normally, from a clutch of 7 eggs only about 2-3 chicks survive, since many perish at the hands of predators or drown trying to fish.
Conservation status of the common kingfisher
As we have not mentioned, the common kingfisher is not an animal considered in danger of extinction, however, its populations have decreased due to different factors. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are between 700.000 and 1 million 300,000 copies worldwide. The main threats of the kingfisher bird are:
- Cold winters.
- Pollution of rivers and lakes.
- Deforestation.
- Indiscriminate fishing of their food sources.
- Illegal hunting.
Because of all of the above, there are currently different conservation plans for the species, which mainly consist of protecting its ecosystem. Although we must emphasize that these plans are not being carried out in all the areas where the kingfisher lives. If you want to help on a particular level, don't miss this other article: "How to help animals in danger of extinction?"
