Kingfisher
- the turquoise turbo
The kingfisher is Denmark's most colourful bird. The name comes from the German 'Eisvogel' meaning iron bird. The name refers to the kingfisher's metal-like glistening turquoise colours.
The kingfisher is quite shy and it can be difficult to spot. If you are lucky, you can see it as a vibrant blue and red streak as it skims across the water surface.
The kingfisher lives by clear rivers and brooks. It nests in a cliff by the watercourse, where it digs a tunnel up to 1 metre into the cliff.
Nosedives from a branch
Fish and aquatic insects are its favourite food. It captures its prey by nosediving from a branch overhanging the water. Although it is only about 15 cm long, it catches fish with a length of up to 10 cm.
There are approximately 300 pairs of breeding kingfishers in Denmark.
Facts about the kingfisher
Height 16 cm
Wingspan 25 cm
Bright turquoise topside and orange-red underside. Blue-green wings and white stripe on the neck.
Quite rare breeding bird in Denmark. Most common in Central and Eastern Jutland.
