Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCoraciiformes (Rollers, Kingfishers, and Allies)
- FamilyAlcedinidae (Kingfishers)
- GenusAlcedo (Typical River Kingfishers)
- SpeciesAlcedo atthis (Common Kingfisher)
About the Common Kingfisher
The common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), also known as the Eurasian kingfisher and 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, but migrates from areas where rivers freeze in winter.
This sparrow-sized bird has the typical short-tailed, large-headed kingfisher profile; it has blue upperparts, 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.
The common kingfisher was first described by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae in 1758 as Gracula atthis. The modern binomial name derives from the Latin alcedo, 'kingfisher' (from Greek ἀλκυών, halcyon), and Atthis, a beautiful young woman of Lesbos, and favourite of Sappho.
The genus Alcedo comprises seven small kingfishers that all eat fish as part of their diet. The common kingfisher's closest relative is the cerulean kingfisher that has white underparts and is found in parts of Indonesia. Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Taman Negara National Park
Blue-banded Kingfisher
Alcedo euryzona
Blue-eared Kingfisher
Alcedo meninting
Stork-billed Kingfisher
Pelargopsis capensis
White-throated Kingfisher
Halcyon smyrnensis
Banded Kingfisher
Lacedo pulchella
Rufous-collared Kingfisher
Actenoides concretus
Black-backed Dwarf-Kingfisher
Ceyx erithaca
Collared Kingfisher
Todiramphus chloris
Black-capped Kingfisher
Halcyon pileata
Blue-throated Bee-eater
Merops viridis
Dollarbird
Eurystomus orientalis
Red-bearded Bee-eater
Nyctyornis amictus
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Common Kingfisher in Taman Negara National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Common Kingfisher sighting in Taman Negara National Park, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Common Kingfisher in Taman Negara National Park?
September has the highest sighting rate for Common Kingfisher in Taman Negara National Park in our monthly data.