Colours
Distinguishing features
This species has the typical short-tailed, dumpy-bodied large-headed and long-billed kingfisher shape. The adult male of the western European subspecies, A. a. ispida has green-blue upperparts with pale azure-blue back and rump, a rufous patch by the bill base, and a rufous ear-patch. It has a green-blue neck stripe, white neck blaze and throat, rufous underparts, and a black bill with some red at the base. The legs and feet are bright red.
The female is identical in appearance to the male except that her lower mandible is orange-red with a black tip.
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.
In North Africa, Europe and Asia north of the Himalayas this is the only small blue kingfisher. In south and southeast Asia it can be confused with six other small blue-and-rufous kingfishers, but the rufous ear patches distinguish it from all but juvenile Blue-eared Kingfisher; details of the head pattern may be necessary to differentiate the two species where both occur. (Wikipedia)
Size
- Up to 16 cm (Length of specimen)
Wingspan
- Up to 25 cm
Synonyms
Distribution
©Devil m25 on Wikipedia: Global distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Distribution and habitat preferences
It is widely distributed over Europe, Asia, and North Africa, mainly south of 60°N. It is a common breeding species over much of its vast Eurasian range, but in North Africa it is mainly a winter visitor.
In temperate regions, it inhabits clear, slow-flowing streams and rivers, and lakes with well-vegetated banks. It frequents scrubs and bushes with overhanging branches close to shallow open water, in which it hunts. In winter it is more coastal, often feeding in estuaries or harbours and along rocky seashores.
Tropical populations are found by slow-flowing rivers, in mangrove creeks and in swamps.
There are seven subspecies recognized within its wide distribution across Eurasia and North Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but migrates from areas where rivers freeze in winter. (Wikipedia)
Diet
The food is mainly fish up to 12.5 cm long, but the average size is 2.3 cm. Minnows, sticklebacks, small roach and trout are typical prey. About 60% of food items are fish, but this kingfisher also catches aquatic insects such as dragonfly larvae and water beetles, and, in winter, crustaceans including freshwater shrimp. (Wikipedia)
