How does a kingfisher catch its prey, and what does it eat?

If you’re lucky enough to see a kingfisher on its perch, watch it closely. Once it has spotted its prey a kingfisher will  bob its head up and down to gauge the position of the fish.

The bird then dives into the water with its wings open, and its eyes protected by transparent eyelids. Once the fish is caught, it is taken back to the perch where the kingfisher usually stuns it before swallowing it head first.

The prey of kingfishers mostly consists of fish, usually minnows and sticklebacks. However, kingfishers will also eat freshwater insects and shrimps, and tadpoles

Are kingfishers territorial?

It is vital for kingfishers to hold a territory with enough food, particularly during winter. If their territory doesn’t have an adequate food supply or becomes frozen over during winter, kingfishers may have to move out and find food elsewhere, bringing them into conflict with other kingfishers. Breeding pairs will usually share territories during the summer.

Are kingfishers found in urban areas?

Thanks to improving water quality within our rivers and lakes, populations of small fish, including minnows and sticklebacks, have been flourishing. This has allowed kingfishers to move into some more urban areas, including central London.

Do kingfishers ever visit gardens?

Despite not being a typical garden bird, if you have a pond and live near a larger waterway, you may be lucky enough to attract kingfishers into your garden. They will even come to bird tables in particularly harsh winters when the water freezes over, and have been known to take offal, suet and even bread.

Where do kingfishers nest and when do they breed?

Kingfishers nest in burrows, usually in soft riverbanks. The nest tunnels can be up to 140cm long, ending in a nesting chamber, and can take many days to create. Despite this, they have up to three broods a year and will use a different nest each time as, once the young have fledged, the tunnel is usually full of decomposing fish!

Pair formation begins in February, and the eggs of the first clutch are laid in March-April. 6-7 eggs are usually laid, and are incubated by both the male and female. After 19-21 days of incubation, the chicks hatch out of the eggs.

Chicks can eat up to 18 fish each per day, and they are fed in rotation by the parents. The chicks normally leave the nest when they are 24-25 days old, but can take up to 37 days if the fish supply is poor.

The fledglings are fed for only four days and then driven out of the territory by the parents, who then begin their next brood. It is estimated that only half of fledglings survive more than a week or two, and very few birds live for more than one breeding season.

Juvenile Kingfisher on Branch

juvenile kingfisher on branch

Content curated from Nat Geo

Robin with Lunch