Kingfisher Alcedo atthis   [Linnaeus, 1758]

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   Page updated:16-January-2013

Order: Coraciiformes Family: Alcedinidae
BTO Codes: KF, KINGF EURING No: 8310
Number in Britain: 5700 pairs (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: AMBER
European: 3 Concern, most not in Europe; Depleted
Global: (Details)
Links to: Images   Videos   Sound  
Status in UK: (A)  Migrant/Resident Breeder
Subspecies: ispida recorded in Britain (of 7 subsp. in the world)
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Length: 16 cm Wingspan: 25 cm Weight: M/F: 40 g    
Scientific name from: L.: alcedo=kingfisher (from Gr. alkuon) and after Atthis, a beautiful young woman of Lesbos, and favourite of Sappho
World Distribution: Europe, c&s Asia
Habitat: Rivers, marshes, lakes, seacoasts
Diet: Mostly freshwater fish, also aquatic invertebrates, hunts from perch or by hovering prior to dive
TitBit: The hungry brood of a Kingfisher can demand over 100 fish a day from their parents, which they dive for at the surprisingly low speed of about 10mph.  

Population and Distribution

Population Trend: BirdTrends   
Regional Trends: England   English Regions
Distribution: Atlas Maps   
British Population Size:
    Summer: 4300 to 7100 pairs in 2000
    First Record: Recorded in Anglo-Saxon times [Fossil evidence from Devensian (last) glaciation, 10-120,000 yr ago]
    Conservation Status: AMBER because Species of European Concern,
   Previous Assessments: 2002-2007 AMBER     1996-2001 AMBER  
   Races of Concern: ispida AMBER (European Concern)
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    Most frequent in: Along Rivers
    And found in: Ponds
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
    Summer: 67 to 135 thousand pairs
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe mapped by the EBCC Atlas
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: WCA(I), WBD(I), Bern(III)
Survey Results: Results from BirdTrack

Breeding and Survival

Egg Size: 22 x 19 mm Egg Weight: 4.3 g (of which 5 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 15   (more would be welcome!)
Clutch Size: 5 - 7 eggs 5.51 ± 1.43 (2 - 7) N = 41
Incubation: 20- 21 days 19.96 ± 0.86 (19.5 - 21.5) N = 41   by the: Male + Female
Fledging: 23 - 26days 24.84 ± 1.95 (22 - 27.5) N = 210 as: Altricial, naked
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid: 25 Apr (1 Apr - 20 Jul)
Number of Broods: 1-2(3)
See trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed: Annual Totals
Adult Survival: 0.280    (Sexes similar)    
Juvenile Survival: 0.215 (in First-Year)  
Age at First Breeding: 1 year Typical Lifespan: 2 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 4 years 6 months 13 days (set in 1969)
Read a summary of Ringing Recoveries

Biometrics

Ring Size: SO
Wing Length Adult: 78.8 ± 1.8     Range 72.0 - 84.0 mm, (N = 607)
Juvenile: 78.7 ± 1.7     Range 70.0 - 87.0 mm, (N = 7018)
Male: 78.6 ± 1.8     Range 72.0 - 84.0 mm, (N = 333)
Female: 79.0 ± 1.7     Range 74.0 - 83.0 mm, (N = 230)
Weight Adult: 38.97 ± 3.45 Range 28.20 - 47.80 g , (N =554)
Juvenile: 36.1 ± 2.3 Range 27.0 - 47.8 . , (N =6494)
Male: 38.19 ± 3.00 Range 28.20 - 47.70 g , (N =307)
Female: 40.03 ± 3.64 Range 31.50 - 47.80 g , (N =209)
Seasonal: Summer 38.55 ± 3.02 (N = 646)   Autumn 38.28 ± 2.53 (N = 194)   Winter 40.85 ± 3.19 (N = 223)  
Source: British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data

Other Names

Common Kingfisher
Gaelic: Biorra-crùidein Welsh: Glas y Dorlan
Danish: Isfugl Dutch: IJsvogel
Finnish: Kuningaskalastaja French: Martin-pêcheur d´Europe
German: Eisvogel Hungarian: Jégmadár
Icelandic: Bláþyrill Irish: Cruidín
Italian: Martin pescatore Norwegian: Isfugl
Polish: Zimorodek zwyczajny Portuguese: Guarda-rios-comum
Spanish: Martín pescador Swedish: Kungsfiskare
Local Names:Halcyon

For More Information...

Books and Monographs:
   Eastman, R. 1969 The Kingfisher Collins, London [598.761 EAS]
   Boag, D. 1982 The Kingfisher Blandford Press, Poole, Dorset [598.761 BOA]
   Chandler, D. & Llewellyn, I. 2010 Kingfsher New Holland Publishers, London
See Also:
Find scientific papers on Google Scholar or Scirus by clicking the icon
Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
Read State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead