kingfishers.comKingfisher in Veluwe National Park
The European kingfisher (alcedo atthis) is a bird of the waterside, since it feeds entirely upon aquatic animals. It has regular perches or stands from which it fishes. These may be a few inches or many feet above the water. It sits upright, its tail pointed downwards. It drops suddenly with a splash and usually returns at once with a struggling captive.
The nest is a tunnel in a sandy bank, usually, though not always over water. Both birds excavate. Most incline upward for about three feet before the nesting chamber is reached.
The six to seven or even more round white eggs are placed on a litter of fish bones and disgorged pellets. The eggs are pink. The first clutch is usually laid in April, but second broods are often in the nest at the end of July, and an exceptional case of young in early October is recorded.
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