Kingfisher
(Alcedo atthis)
Everyone knows that the kingfisher is arguably the most beautiful bird we have, but few of us have seen this wonder of nature for ourselves.
Kingfishers are never common and seldom spotted. And when they are, all the lucky viewer tends to get is a brief fly-by flash of brilliant blue.
But if you are persistent and determined, they can be seen on the rivers around Killearn, such as the Endrick and Blane Water. Find them on their perches, or flying up and down the water, and listen closely for the short, high-pitched call which often gives away their presence.
Fascinating fact:
Kingfishers have transparent third eyelids which they close as they dive into the water so they can see their prey.
Kingfishers live with us all year round, though some will disperse to ponds, reservoirs or coastal spots in winter as inland rivers freeze. Males and females have the same magnificent plumage but males have all-black bills in the breeding season while females have a reddish base to their lower jaws.
Both sexes eat small fish, usually taken by diving from a favourite perch. The birds will also sometimes hover before plunging into the water to catch a meal.
Kingfishers prefer slow-moving rivers and streams with plenty of small fish. They need riverside perches for spotting their prey and sandbanks to burrow into and make nests.
Humans can and do make their lives harder. Climate change has put them at increased risk of their nests flooding, and pollution or poor watercourse management can degrade their habitats.
Our kingfishers are of course the best, but there are about 90 species all over the world and most of them are brilliantly coloured. The Australian kookaburra, famed for its “laughing” call, is the biggest.
Did you know
Kingfishers helped perfect the design of Japan’s famous Shinkansen, or Bullet Train. The train is so fast that it used to make a loud booming sound as it went through tunnels, but a bird-loving engineer got rid of the problem by remodelling the train’s nose on the shape of a kingfisher’s beak.