The female is identical in appearance to the male except that her lower mandible is orange-red with a black tip. The adult male has a black beak. The juvenile is similar to the adult, but with duller and greener upperparts and paler underparts. Its bill is black, and the legs are also initially black.
Female...
Blink and you may miss the fantastic kingfisher! This beautiful bird is easy to recognise thanks to its bright blue and metallic copper colours. It darts along the riverbank or sits patiently on a low branch over the water waiting for its next meal to swim by.
Statistics
Length: 15-17cmWingspan: 25cmWeight: 40gAverage lifespan: 2 years
Conservation status
Classified in the UK as...
Lightning fast and technicoloured, seeing a kingfisher always feels special. Spot them near rivers, diving low to catch tiny fish with impressive dexterity. The kingfisher is a small bird with unmistakable plumage. Its back is bright metallic blue and its breast is a coppery-brown. The beak is long and black, though females have a red patch at the base. With a wingspan of 25cm and body length...
The Common Kingfisher is a small unmistakable bright blue and orange bird of slow moving or still water. The Common Kingfisher flies rapidly, low over water, and hunt fish from riverside perches, occasionally hovering above the water’s surface. They are vulnerable to hard winters and habitat degradation through pollution or unsympathetic management of watercourses. Kingfishers...