Common Kingfisher

Alcedo atthis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderCoraciiformes (Rollers, Kingfishers, and Allies)
FamilyAlcedinidae (Kingfishers)
GenusAlcedo (Typical River Kingfishers)
SpeciesAlcedo atthis (Common Kingfisher)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Tanjung Puting National Park

1 Verified sightings at Tanjung Puting National Park From 2019 to 2026

17,736 Verified sightings across all 71 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

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 Tanjung Puting National Park

Alcedo meninting

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Alcedo euryzona

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Pelargopsis capensis

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Halcyon smyrnensis

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Ceyx erithaca

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Todiramphus chloris

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Halcyon pileata

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Halcyon coromanda

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Merops viridis

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Eurystomus orientalis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Merops philippinus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

See all 11 relatives Show fewer

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

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Sundarbans National Park	🇮🇳 India	~70%
2	Wilpattu National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~60%
3	Keoladeo National Park	🇮🇳 India	~50%
4	Royal Bardia National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~50%
5	Chitwan National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~50%
6	Yala National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~50%
7	Ranthambore National Park	🇮🇳 India	~40%
8	Jim Corbett National Park	🇮🇳 India	~40%
9	Hortobágy National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	~30%
10	Satpura National Park	🇮🇳 India	~30%
11	Minneriya National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~30%
12	Camargue	🇫🇷 France	~30%
13	Periyar National Park	🇮🇳 India	~30%
14	Gir National Park	🇮🇳 India	~30%
15	Mudumalai National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
16	Kaziranga National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
17	Monfragüe National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~20%
18	Cuc Phuong National Park	🇻🇳 Vietnam	~20%
19	Khao Yai National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	~20%
20	Bandipur National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
21	Bandhavgarh National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
22	Kiskunság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	~20%
23	Nagarhole National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
24	Kanha National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
25	Doñana National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~10%
26	Bavarian Forest National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	~10%
27	Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary	🇲🇾 Malaysia	~10%
28	Manas National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
29	Namdapha National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
30	Cat Tien National Park	🇻🇳 Vietnam	~10%
31	Fertő-Hanság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	~10%
32	Sierra de Guadarrama National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~10%
33	Tangkoko Nature Reserve	🇮🇩 Indonesia	~10%
34	Białowieża National Park	🇵🇱 Poland	~10%
35	Plitvice Lakes National Park	🇭🇷 Croatia	~10%
36	Wadden Sea National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	~10%
37	Royal Manas National Park	🇧🇹 Bhutan	~10%
38	Biebrza National Park	🇵🇱 Poland	~10%
39	Snowdonia National Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	~10%
40	Cévennes National Park	🇫🇷 France	~10%
41	Kaeng Krachan National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	<5%
42	Khao Sok National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	<5%
43	Pyrénées National Park	🇫🇷 France	<5%
44	Taroko National Park	🇹🇼 Taiwan	<5%
45	Sinharaja Forest Reserve	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	<5%
46	Aigüestortes National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
47	Triglav National Park	🇸🇮 Slovenia	<5%
48	Way Kambas National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	<5%
49	Gauja National Park	🇱🇻 Latvia	<5%
50	Tatra National Park	🇸🇰 Slovakia	<5%
51	Nikko National Park	🇯🇵 Japan	<5%
52	Sepilok	🇲🇾 Malaysia	<5%
53	Doi Inthanon National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	<5%
54	Cairngorms National Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	<5%
55	Bali Barat National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	<5%
56	Sierra Nevada National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
57	Taman Negara National Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	<5%
58	Jiuzhaigou National Park	🇨🇳 China	Insufficient data
59	Tanjung Puting National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
60	Eravikulam National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
61	Gunung Leuser National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
62	Ecrins National Park	🇫🇷 France	Insufficient data
63	Bako National Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	Insufficient data
64	Mercantour National Park	🇫🇷 France	Insufficient data
65	Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	Insufficient data
66	Kerinci Seblat National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
67	Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park	🇲🇳 Mongolia	Insufficient data
68	Langtang National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	Insufficient data
69	Picos de Europa National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	Insufficient data
70	Khao Luang National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	Insufficient data
71	Danum Valley Conservation Area	🇲🇾 Malaysia	Insufficient data

← Back to Tanjung Puting National Park

Common Kingfisher

About the Common Kingfisher

Closest Relatives at Tanjung Puting National Park

Blue-eared Kingfisher

Blue-banded Kingfisher

Stork-billed Kingfisher

White-throated Kingfisher

Black-backed Dwarf-Kingfisher

Collared Kingfisher

Black-capped Kingfisher

Ruddy Kingfisher

Blue-throated Bee-eater

Dollarbird

Blue-tailed Bee-eater

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found