Found along the banks of rivers, canals and lakes throughout Ireland, the Kingfisher is one of our most colourful and celebrated birds. Smaller than most would expect, at just 6 inches in stature it is only marginally bigger than a robin.
The Kingfisher is unique, with its bright orange under body and cheek patches, white throat and ear patches and metallic greenish-blue crown and wings. The back and tail are a lighter, even more dazzling “electric” blue, which immediately catches the eye when a Kingfisher flies past. The only visible difference between the sexes is that the male has an all-black bill, while the female’s is black above and reddish below.
Kingfishers nest in tunnels which they dig into banks along rivers and lakes, and remain in Ireland year-round. However the beauty and rarity of the bird was the reason for much destruction in the 19th century when there was a thriving trade in stuffed specimens, birds for the adornment of lady’s hats and feathers for fly tying.
The first protection laws led to some evidence of an increase at the turn of the century but the birds could not come back to areas where water pollution had killed off their food. They can breed very productively to make up for losses in severe winters. The big freeze of 1963 reduced the populations of this beautiful bird. There are about 93 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Ireland, the Common Kingfisher and River Kingfisher.
The flight of the Kingfisher is fast, direct and usually low over water. The short rounded wings whirr rapidly, and a bird flying away shows an electric-blue “flash” down its back. The Common kingfisher has no song. The flight call is a short sharp whistle, cheep, repeated two or three times. Anxious birds emit a harsh, shrit-it-it and nestlings call for food with a chirring noise. Common Kingfishers are important members of ecosystems and good indicators of freshwater community health.
The highest densities of breeding birds are found in habitats with clear water, which permits optimal prey visibility, and trees or shrubs on the banks. These habitats have also the highest quality of water, so the presence of this bird confirms the standard of the water. Like all kingfishers, the Common Kingfishers is highly territorial; since it must eat around 60% of its body weight each day, it is essential to have control a suitable stretch of river. It is solitary for most of the year, roosting alone in heavy cover. If another kingfisher enters its territory, both birds display from perches, and fights may occur, where a bird will grab the other’s beak and try to hold it under water. The Common Kingfisher typically lays five to seven (range two to ten) glossy white eggs, which average 1.9 cm in breadth, 2.2 cm in length, and weigh about 4.3 g. Due to the birds size one or two eggs in most clutches fail to hatch because the parent cannot cover them. Both sexes incubate by day, but only the female at night.
The eggs hatch in 19–20 days. The early days for fledged juveniles are more hazardous; during its first dives into water, about four days after leaving the nest, a fledgling may become waterlogged and drown. Many young will not have learned to fish by the time they are driven out of their parents’ territory, and only about half survive more than a week or two.
Most kingfishers’ die of cold or lack of food, and a severe winter can kill a high percentage of the birds. Summer floods and speeding boats can destroy nests or make fishing difficult, resulting in starvation of the brood.
Only a quarter of the young survive to breed the following year, but this is enough to maintain the population. Since kingfishers are high up in the food chain, they are vulnerable to build-up of chemicals, and water pollution by industrial and agricultural products. The kingfishers diet mainly consists of Minnows, sticklebacks, small roach, trout, dragonfly larvae and water beetles, and, in winter, crustaceans including freshwater shrimps. There are a number of Kingfishers nesting along the shore of Lough Sheelin.
Particular areas to watch are along the Shores of Derrysheridan, Lynch’s Point and in Kilnahard – Chambers Bay. If you are lucky to spot a kingfisher, take a few moments out to admire this colourful and beautiful bird.
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