Birds Of Japan 005:The kingfisher 日本の野鳥005:カワセミ

Birds Of Japan 005:The kingfisher 日本の野鳥005:カワセミ野鳥図鑑野鳥写真 Japan Birds Encyclopedia Bird Watching Wild Life Photography wild Birds Avian diversity

Kingfishers are a family, the Alcedinidae, of small to medium-sized, brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution: most species live in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, but they can also be found in Europe and the Americas. They can be found in deep forests near calm ponds and small rivers. The family contains 118 species and is divided into three subfamilies and 19 genera. All kingfishers have large heads, long, sharp, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. Most species have bright plumage with only small differences between the sexes. Most species are tropical in distribution, and a slight majority are found only in forests.

Common Kingfisher カワセミ

The Common Kingfisher is a small, brightly colored bird often seen near rivers, ponds, lakes, and streams in Japan. Its vivid blue back, orange underside, large head, and long pointed bill make it one of the most eye-catching waterside birds.

It usually perches quietly on branches, reeds, or stones near the water, watching for fish and aquatic insects. When prey appears, it dives quickly into the water and returns to its perch with remarkable speed and precision.