Common Kingfisher: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Storks and Shorebirds · day 7 of 7

Five facts

1. Each day a common kingfisher must eat food weighing about 60% of its own body, so it fiercely defends its stretch of river.
2. A kingfisher bobs its head to gauge distance, then plunges to seize fish usually no deeper than 25 cm below the surface.
3. Rival kingfishers show off from perches. In a fight, one may seize the other's beak and push it under the water.
4. Underwater, a kingfisher opens its wings and keeps its eyes open, protected by a transparent third eyelid.
5. Both kingfishers of a pair dig the nest burrow into a riverbank. It is normally 60 to 90 cm long and ends in a wider chamber.

The quiz

1. How much of its body weight must a common kingfisher eat each day?

• Around 5%
• Around 10%
• Around 25%
• Around 60% (correct)

Each day it needs food weighing about 60% of its own body.

2. How deep does a kingfisher usually dive for fish?

• No deeper than 25 cm (correct)
• About 2 m
• About 1 m
• About 5 m

It usually seizes fish no deeper than 25 cm below the surface.

3. In a fight, what may one kingfisher grab?

• The other's tail
• The other's wing
• The other's beak (correct)
• The other's feet

One may seize the other's beak and push it under the water.

4. What protects a kingfisher's open eyes underwater?

• Goggle-like feathers
• A transparent third eyelid (correct)
• A film of oil
• Squeezing them shut

Its open eyes are protected by a transparent third eyelid.

5. How long is a kingfisher's nest burrow normally?

• 10-20 cm
• 2-3 m
• 5 m
• 60-90 cm (correct)

The burrow is normally 60-90 cm long.

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