Kingfisher

This colourful bird is a splendid sight, bathing in sunlight on a waterside perch, but even dedicated bird-spotters can fail to catch sight of this active predator at rest.

Kingfishers travel at lightning speeds, catch several fish per day, raise up to three broods every season and fiercely defend their territory at all times. They are busy birds with no time to preen and pose for casual human observers.

Over eighty disparate species of kingfisher dart around the globe but only one kind is native to Britain. Our kingfisher makes its home in dense cover near slow-flowing fresh water such as canals, lakes and rivers in lowland areas. If you are extremely lucky, and the possessor of a large pond, you may spot the occasional kingfisher gliding through your garden. In the UK, southern regions are blessed with healthy populations, but kingfishers become scarce further north and are rarely sighted in Scotland.

Smaller than a starling, the kingfisher belongs to a fearsome guild of British predators which readily tackle prey larger and heavier than themselves. The kingfisher has its favoured fishing spots, like any competent angler, and will perch patiently on the look out for any tell-tale fish movements in the water below. Once sighted, the kingfisher makes a split-second assessment of its depth and precise location and then dives, bill first into the water. With eyes closed and beak half-open, the kingfisher seizes the slippery prey and carries it back to his perch.

Please note: Kingfishers are protected from being disturbed on or near an active nest. Please take care not to go too close to a nest as this may cause parents to abandon eggs or chicks.

British Waterways is sponsoring the kingfisher in the BTO Bird Atlas 2007-11.
Birdwatchers throughout Britain and Ireland are taking part in an enormous stock-take of our birds for the Bird Atlas 2007-11. All species of bird, and all areas and habitats will be covered, from villages, towns, farmland, waterways and fens to mountain tops and far flung islands. Bird numbers provide a barometer of how the natural world is coping with pressures from climate and habitat changes. This survey will deliver vital evidence and inform conservation practice in the coming decades.