One of the unexpected highlights of my recent Indian trip was catching up with a number of birds that were familiar to me from the UK but are absent from Australia.
One of these birds was the Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis). This is the species of kingfisher that I saw (not that frequently) in the UK.
It's a wide spread species, with its range covering all of Europe, large parts of Asia and the Middle East and even extending into North Africa.
Its high pitched call and lightning blue flight make a distinctive species. As a kid I used to delight in seeing them - often around the 14th Century Bishop's Palace Moat in Wells, Somerset. Seeing this species in the busy area around an Indian national park visitors centre was a bit of a contrast!
This species has the typical short-tailed, dumpy-bodied, large-headed, and long-billed shape of many other kingfishers. Fully grown adults are about 16 cm long with a wingspan of 25 cm. Males have an all black beak, while the beak of the female is orange below. (First image is a male bird, all others are a female)
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Cheers, SM
The grey langur below is a furry delight!
ReplyDeleteAlways such a pleasure to be with you. I look forward to it every week. I aloha, friend
ReplyDeleteAll Kingfishers are very beautiful even the Common ones Stewart. Lovely to see these photographs. Thanks for hosting and commenting. I hope you have a great week ahead..
ReplyDeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteWhat a wee gem... strangely, I have just been watching the latest David Attenborough show (Secret Garden) which featured this bird quite strongly... I only ever saw the Common Kingfisher whilst in India. YAM xx
It is an uncommonly beautiful Common Kingfisher! Let’s lobby for a name change, I say!
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