BIRDPEX – protected bird species, Common kingfisher

Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) According to Ovid’s myth, the kingfisher was created after the envious Zeus drowned Ceyx in the sea. Seeing that, Ceyx’ wife Alcyone threw herself into the sea in her grief. Other gods took pity on the fates of Ceyx and Alcyone, so they turned them into birds – the common kingfishers. This sparrow-sized turquoise-orange bird with a long and strong beak and short tail is one of the most beautiful birds in Europe. It lives along the banks of rivers, lakes and seas, where it feeds in the shallows on fish it is preying on out of the marginal vegetation, catching them by plunging steeply and diving. Although the diet of the common kingfishers consists predominantly of fish, they also feed on insects that live in or near the water. One study showed that the common kingfisher needs to eat about half its body weight a day, and for that it needs over 30 successful dives. They nest in the ground, by the water, in burrows they have dug themselves, which consist of an about a meter long tunnel and a small widening at its end. Males and females take 7 to 12 days to dig their nests. The female lays 6 to 7 eggs in the nest, on which both parents lie for about three weeks. Both parents also take care of the hatchlings by feeding them with the fish for the next four weeks. During these months, the nest is gradually covered in the excrement of the hatchlings and the remains of the fish, so the adults will wash themselves regularly after feeding the hatchlings. In addition to Europe, the same type of the common kingfisher is also found in parts of southern Siberia, India, and southeast Asia. Common kingfishers from northern Europe are migratory, those from central Europe are partially migratory, particularly in harsh winters, whereas those in the south are sedentary. Migratory kingfishers tend to overwinter in the area where their species is concentrated, i.e. they do not migrate far. Common kingfishers are widespread and are not an endangered species. There are approximately 100 thousand pairs inhabiting Europe. In Croatia, they are distributed along all types of water surfaces, and they are nesting birds, however, the birds coming from the northern part of the continent tend to arrive here during migratory seasons and in winter. Our nesting population is estimated at 700 to 1,000 pairs.