Species guide
Common Kingfisher: how to recognise it
A bird seen on most continents. Learn the marks that make it easy to identify, then practise with real photographs in Lore.
Practise with real photosAll species guides
Photo © Mark Kilner · CC BY-NC-SA · iNaturalist · all photo credits
- Scientific name
- Alcedo atthis
- Family
- Kingfishers
- Size
- About 16–17 cm
- Habitat
- Slow rivers, streams and lakes with perches
- Found in
- Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania
The key marks
A tiny bird, brilliant blue-green above and orange below, with a short tail and a long dagger bill.
Voice
A sharp, high whistle, “tsee”, as it flies low over the water.
Good to know
It dives headfirst for small fish and nests in a tunnel dug into a riverbank.
Where and when
You can expect to find it in slow rivers, streams and lakes with perches. It is especially common in China and Japan. Distribution changes with the seasons and from year to year, so check a recent local observation source before you go looking.