When we're exploring new territories, it's exciting to find completely unfamiliar birds, and it's comforting to see familiar birds. Kingfisher is just that, giving you an experience that is both new and familiar. There are legends about kingfishers in many peoples in the world.
Polynesians regard the Sacred kingfisher as a "sacred bird" among the kingfisher, which holds a high status in many cultures. This article will take you to see the coolest star kingfisher on six continents.
1. North America
Belted kingfisher
Most Americans and Canadians use the Belted kingfisher as a reference species. The Belted kingfisher has a wingspan of 20 inches (50.8 cm), is the average size of the kingfisher family, and has a much softer call than other kingfishers. Belted kingfisher's main food is fish, so they can often be found near water.
Green kingfisher
Green kingfisher is mainly distributed in Central and South America, but also in Arizona to Texas in the southeastern United States. They nest on river banks and use their mouths to dig burrows that are more than 3 feet (91.44 cm) deep. The Green kingfisher is half the size of the Belted kingfisher but has a relatively large beak.
2. Central and South America
Ringed kingfisher
Ringed kingfisher is widely distributed in Central and South America, and is also distributed in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, the southernmost part of the United States. Their range in Texas has been slowly expanding since the 1960s. Ringed kingfisher inhabits both freshwater and saltwater environments.
Amazon kingfisher
Amazon kingfisher is a "bigger version" of the Green kingfisher. Like other kingfishers in the Americas, it is classified in the subfamily Ichthyidae. The Amazon kingfisher often hovers on the water, waiting for an opportunity to prey, and when it finds a target, it quickly dives into the water to capture its prey.
Besides fish, they also prey on amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates (crustaceans and insects, etc.).
3. Europe
Common Kingfisher
The common kingfisher belongs to the subfamily Kingfisher. This colorful and beautiful bird is the only species of kingfisher found in most of Europe and is also widely distributed in North Africa, South Asia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.
White-throated Kingfisher
White-throated kingfisher is widely distributed in Asia and as far away as Eastern Europe, from sea level to altitudes of nearly 7,500 feet (2,286 m). White-throated kingfishers’ diet is varied, and like other kingfishers, they regurgitate undigested food.
4. Asia
Banded kingfisher
Banded kingfisher is found in Southeast Asia, a hotbed of kingfisher diversity. Many kingfisher males and females have different plumage, and Banded kingfisher takes this sexual dimorphism to the extreme. Some kingfisher females have more delicate plumage, and in Banded kingfisher, males have more ornate plumage.
Black-backed dwarf-kingfisher
The Black-backed dwarf-kingfisher is the smallest kingfisher, with gorgeous plumage that is hard to ignore. Black-backed dwarf-kingfisher inhabits lowland rainforests from India to Indonesia. This kingfisher has a wide range of diets, with its main diet including geckos, crustaceans, amphibians, and invertebrates.
5. Oceania
Buff-breasted paradise-kingfisher
The Buff-breasted paradise-kingfisher found on the northern coast of Australia and the island of New Guinea, nests in termite mounds and burrows with bright orange bills. Buff-breasted paradise-kingfisher often hunts opportunistically on the ground and in the tree canopy, mainly feeding on invertebrates, small reptiles, and amphibians.
Despite their bright colors, the Buff-breasted paradise-kingfisher is still difficult to spot in nature and can usually only be tracked by their two long white tail feathers bobbing up and down.
6. Africa
Striped kingfisher
The Striped kingfisher inhabits vast savannahs and thorny bushes, and it preys primarily on insects, especially grasshoppers. Like other kingfishers, the striped kingfisher stands on a perch in search of prey, catches it, and flies back to the perch, hitting the prey on a branch before eating it.
Pied Kingfisher
Pied kingfisher is widely distributed, from Cape Town, South Africa to Beijing, China. They are the most hydrophilic of the kingfishers and feed mainly on fish. Pied kingfisher mostly hovers on the open water for food. When they see a school of fish, they immediately dive down to hunt for food and then swallow their prey in flight. Many kingfishers are very territorial, but the Pied kingfisher is gregarious and often spends the night in congregations in their habitat.
