Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthis
Where is it found?
Rivers, streams, wetlands and lakes
Diet and foraging method
Key adaptations
Kingfishers have a long beak with a pointed end, making it streamlined when it dives into the water to catch fish.
Social organisation and mating system
Solitary
Socially monogamous breeding pair
Did you know that...?
Kingfishers will hold fish by the tail and whack them against a tree to kill them before swallowing them whole.
Taxonomy
Picture credits:
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"Kingfisher eating a tadpole" by Pierre Dalous - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kingfisher_eating_a_tadpole.jpg#/media/File:Kingfisher_eating_a_tadpole.jpg
"Alcedo atthis MHNT ZOO 2010 11 160 Arcy-sur-Cure" by Didier Descouens - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alcedo_atthis_MHNT_ZOO_2010_11_160_Arcy-sur-Cure.jpg#/media/File:Alcedo_atthis_MHNT_ZOO_2010_11_160_Arcy-sur-Cure.jpg
"Aufgeregt und angespannter Eisvogel" by Joefrei - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aufgeregt_und_angespannter_Eisvogel.jpg#/media/File:Aufgeregt_und_angespannter_Eisvogel.jpg
"AlcedoAtthisGould" by John Gould - Birds of Asia, Vol. 1 pl. 53 (as Alcedo bengalensis,Gmel., Indian Kingfisher). Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AlcedoAtthisGould.jpg#/media/File:AlcedoAtthisGould.jpg
"Kingfisher eating a tadpole" by Pierre Dalous - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kingfisher_eating_a_tadpole.jpg#/media/File:Kingfisher_eating_a_tadpole.jpg
"Alcedo atthis MHNT ZOO 2010 11 160 Arcy-sur-Cure" by Didier Descouens - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alcedo_atthis_MHNT_ZOO_2010_11_160_Arcy-sur-Cure.jpg#/media/File:Alcedo_atthis_MHNT_ZOO_2010_11_160_Arcy-sur-Cure.jpg
"Aufgeregt und angespannter Eisvogel" by Joefrei - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aufgeregt_und_angespannter_Eisvogel.jpg#/media/File:Aufgeregt_und_angespannter_Eisvogel.jpg
"AlcedoAtthisGould" by John Gould - Birds of Asia, Vol. 1 pl. 53 (as Alcedo bengalensis,Gmel., Indian Kingfisher). Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AlcedoAtthisGould.jpg#/media/File:AlcedoAtthisGould.jpg