Common Kingfisher

Common Kingfisher

Introduction of Common Kingfisher

   Common kingfisher (Scientific Name : Alcedo atthis ) is a small kingfisher  belonging to the Family- Alcedinidae and of Order- Coraciiformes. Common kingfisher has seven recognized subspecies. The average lifespan of  Common Kingfisher is 7 years though can live for  15 years.

How to Identify Common Kingfisher

   The Common kingfisher  has  colorful plumage. Its upperparts, wings and head are bright blue and  underparts is rich chestnut-red or orange. It is a small kingfisher of 17 cm long with a wingspan of 25 cm and weighs 34–46 grams. This small bird has a short blue tail but large head. On the head, crown and malar stripe are blue which are finely spotted with paler blue and black. Bill is long, sharp and strong. Wings are darker blue and  finely spotted with turquoise on greater coverts.The chin, throat and a small part of the side of the neck is bright white. Eyes are dark brown and there is a  black eye-stripe.  Feet are small and red in color. Male and female are almost looks alike but they can be differentiate by their bill. Bill of  females have a  chestnut colored base and bill of  males, the base  is completely black. Color of Juveniles are similar  but have duller and greener plumage with greyer legs.

Habits and Habitats

   Common kingfisher is a territorial bird and  they  defend their territory very well.  Individuals live alone for most of the year. Fights occasionally occur when a kingfisher enter in other's territory. During fight, one bird grab the other one’s beak and try to hold opponent under water. Common kingfisher fly very fast.
   It likes to lives in near quiet waters with vegetation on the shores such as reeds and shrubs for perches. Shores of lakes, ponds, streams and wetlands are its common roosting place. Common kingfishers used to perch several centimetres to several meters above the water for hunting or when a perch is not available they  hover above the water in  search of prey. They dive into the water when they see a prey and fly back out on the perch after grabbing the prey. Whenever they catch a fish, Common kingfishers  hold the fish by its tail and whack it against the perch to stun or kill it and swallows it head first. It  regurgitate  indigestible bones after consuming a fish. Common kingfishers' eye have  the ability to polarize light or to reduce the reflection of light off of water and they  can compensate for  refraction and their eyes are covered by a membrane when diving for prey. All these ability help them  to catch prey more effectively.

Distribution
   Common kingfisher is found throughout Europe and Asia as far east as Japan. They are also found in Africa, south of the Sahara. There are seven subspecies which differs in the color intensity. Size also varies little bit across the subspecies.
A. a. ispida- This subspecies are found from Ireland, Spain and southern Norway to Romania and western Russia.
A. a. atthis - This subspecies are found from northwestern Africa and southern Italy east to Afghanistan, Kashmir region, northern Xinjiang, and Siberia; It has a greener crown, paler underparts and is slightly larger.
A. a. bengalensis -  This subspecies are found in southern and eastern Asia from India to Indonesia, China, Korea, Japan and eastern Mongolia. It is smaller and brighter than the European races.
A. a. taprobana - Resident breeder in Sri Lanka and southern India. Its upperparts are bright blue instead of  green-blue and it is of the same size as A. a. bengalensis.
A. a. floresiana - This subspecies are resident breeder from Bali to Timor. It looks  like A. a. taprobana but the blues are darker and the ear-patch is rufous with a few blue feathers.
A. a. hispidoides - This subspecies are resident breeder from Sulawesi to New Guinea and the islands of the western Pacific Ocean. Colors of Plumage are deeper than in A. a. floresiana. The blue on the hind neck and rump is purple-tinged and the ear-patch is blue.
A. a. solomonensis - This subspecies are resident breeder in the Solomon Islands east to San Cristobal. It is the largest  subspecies which are found in southeast Asia. This subspecies has a blue ear-patch and is more purple-tinged than A. a. hispidoides.

Food
  Fish and small crustaceans such as prawns and crabs is its main food. It also catches insects in flight.

Call
  The Common Kingfisher utters short, shrill, high-pitched “seep-seep” when flying. The alarm call is a harsh “tjiii”. When threatened, it gives grating “kritritrit”. We can hear other kinds of calls such as “tei titi titi titi” as advertising call.

Nesting and Breeding

   Mating season of  Common Kingfisher start in April and ends sometimes as late as October. At the beginning of the mating season, males  chase females through the trees, producing a loud whistle as a courtship ritual and the female is given food by the male before mating. Common kingfishers search for a new partner each year. The male and female together, dig  a hole between 15 and 30 cm long  into a sandy bank along a water source.  Sometimes it also use a hole in wall or in rotten tree stump or in termite mound. 2-3 clutches of eggs are laid yearly, 1st one in April, 2nd one by July and the 3rd  in early October.  Clutches consist  of 6 or 7 white eggs.  Incubation period is around 19 to 21 days. Both the male and female incubate during the day and only the female at night.Young are given food by both their parents and they fledge at about 23-24 days and leave the territory where they were born.