Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthis
LCLeast Concern
- Length
- 16–17 cm
- Family
- Kingfishers (Alcedinidae)
- Order
- Coraciiformes
Overview
A full account of this species is being written.
Diet: Small fish caught by plunge-diving.
How to identify it
- Brilliant electric-blue back and orange underparts
- Dagger bill; females have an orange lower mandible
- Flies fast and low over water
Voice
Shrill whistled 'tseee' in flight.
Where to see it
- Slow rivers and lakes across Europe
Range and habitat
Countries
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bhutan
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- China
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Egypt
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kosovo
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Malta
- Mauritania
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- North Korea
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russia
- San Marino
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Syria
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Western Sahara
Habitats
Sources and further reading
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
