Skip to main content
Close

COMMON KINGFISHER

Alcedo atthis taprobana

Photo by Dhilip
Published on Project Noah
Zoom
NominateNominate for Wildlife Photograph of the Month
reportFlag Spotting

8.05379, 80.7248

Field Notes

Description:

The Sri Lanka common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis taprobana ) is a sub specie of the Eurasian kingfisher. Also known as the river kingfisher, is a small kingfisher with seven subspecies recognized within its wide distribution across Eurasia and North Africa. It is resident in much of its range. This sparrow-sized bird has the typical short-tailed, large-headed kingfisher profile; it has blue upper parts, orange underparts and a long bill. It feeds mainly on fish, caught by diving, and has special visual adaptations to enable it to see prey under water. The glossy white eggs are laid in a nest at the end of a burrow in a riverbank. Alcedo atthis taprobana has more bright blue and orange than the rest of the other sub species of its kind.

Habitat:

The common kingfisher is widely distributed over Europe, Asia, and North Africa, mainly It is a common breeding species over much of its vast Eurasian range, but in North. In temperate regions, this kingfisher 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. Tropical populations are found by slow-flowing rivers,

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (0)

Be the first to comment

Sign in to comment
Photographed
PublishedNovember 29, 2016

Accelerate our Mission to Photograph 
Every Species in the World!

Image
Butterflies icon

Wildlife Community

Wildlife Community

Join a worldwide community passionate about wildlife and nature!

Join Project Noah

Nature School

Nature School

Transform your green space into a curiosity-creating nature classroom!

Visit Nature School

Wildlife Game

Wildlife Game

Defend wildlife throughout the jungle in thrilling nature game!

Play Baboon