![](http://www.alamy.com/thumbs/6/C29809AE-F60A-4A62-B266-B29E75B49F13/D8ETKD.jpg)
Kingfisher perched and alert about to dive at a feed sight
Kingfishers are small unmistakable bright blue and orange birds of slow moving or still water. They fly rapidly, low over water, and hunt fish from riverside perches, occasionally hovering above the water's surface. They are a vulnerable to hard winters and habitat degradation through pollution or unsympathetic management of watercourses. Kingfishers are amber listed because of their unfavourable conservation status in Europe. Overview Latin name Alcedo atthis Family Kingfishers (Alcedinidae) Where to see them They are widespread, especially in central and southern England, becoming less common further north but following some declines last century, they are currently increasing in their range in Scotland. Kingfishers are found by still or slow flowing water such as lakes, canals and rivers in lowland areas. In winter, some individuals move to estuaries and the coast. Occasionally they may visit garden ponds if of a suitable size. When to see them All year round. What they eat Fish and aquatic insects.
Size: 4896px × 3264px
Location: worcester england
Photo credit: © steven flaherty / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: alcedo, kingfishers, alcedo, alert, amber, atthis, atthis family kingfishers, behaviour, bird, birds, blue, branch, bright, central, colourful, conservation, degradation, england, europe. overview latin, fish, fishing, flaherty, fly, habitat, hard, hovering, hunt, kingfisher, kingfishers, listed, management, moving, nature, occasionally, orange, perch, perched, perches, perching, pollution, pose, rapidly, riverbank, riverside, slow, small, southern, status, steven, surface., unfavourable, unmistakable, unsympathetic, vivid, vulnerable, water, water., watercourses., widespread, wild, wildlife, winters, worcestershire