Common kingfisher
Alcedo atthis
ok. 17 cmDorosły ptak
total length
total length
wzdłuż osi ciała · od końca dzioba do końca ogonaMeasurement: side
- Mass
- 26–39 gDorosłe osobniki
Common kingfisher — size comparison
The common kingfisher has a short tail, a large straight bill and a blue-green back contrasting with orange underparts. Blue arises from feather microstructure
Silhouette comparison
Length
wzdłuż osi ciała · od końca dzioba do końca ogonaReference values · details in the profiles
Total lengthScale in cm
05101520
approx. 17 cm
The scale compares the named dimensions. View direction and measurement points are given for each animal.
Common kingfisher — size comparison — facts and sources
The common kingfisher has a short tail, a large straight bill and a blue-green back contrasting with orange underparts. Blue arises from feather microstructure interacting with light. It lives beside rivers, streams, lakes and canals where small fish and aquatic invertebrates are available.
It watches from a branch above water, plunging down and briefly submerging after spotting prey. A larger fish is struck against a perch before swallowing. It usually feeds alone and defends its stretch of bank against other kingfishers.
A pair excavates a tunnel in an earth bank. The nesting chamber lies at the end, where adults bring food to chicks. Access to a vertical, exposed bank therefore matters during breeding as much as nearby productive water.