The Coolest Kingfishers from Six Continents

When traveling to unfamiliar places, discovering a completely new bird species can be an exciting experience. At the same time, encountering a familiar type of bird can create a sense of connection in a new environment. Kingfishers are a perfect example of both uniqueness and familiarity.

There are more than 100 species of kingfishers around the world, divided into three main subfamilies. Even when the exact species is unknown, most kingfishers are immediately recognizable because of their distinctive appearance. Related birds such as motmots, bee-eaters, todies, rollers and ground-rollers also belong to the Coraciiformes order.

Kingfishers generally share several physical features, including compact bodies, relatively large heads, powerful bills and strong feet. Many species have noticeable crests, while most have short, firm tails. Although they appear similar in shape, kingfishers occupy many different ecological roles and have adapted to a wide variety of environments.

These birds can survive in habitats ranging from coastal mangrove forests to dry desert regions. Their diets are also highly diverse. Despite their name, not every kingfisher specializes in catching fish. For example, the shovel-billed kookaburra uses its specialized bill to collect worms. Most kingfishers are active during the day, although the hook-billed kingfisher is a rare nocturnal hunter.

Kingfishers have also played important roles in the traditions and beliefs of different cultures. The sacred kingfisher is considered an important bird in Polynesian culture, while many societies around the world have admired these birds. However, some cultures have also viewed certain kingfishers as symbols of bad fortune.

North America

The Belted Kingfisher is the species most familiar to people in the United States and Canada. With a wingspan of about 20 inches, it is considered a medium-sized member of the family. Although attractive, its blue coloring is relatively subtle compared with many tropical kingfishers. Because it relies heavily on fish as food, the Belted Kingfisher is usually found near rivers, lakes and other bodies of water.

The Green Kingfisher is much more common in Central and South America, but it also occurs in parts of the southwestern United States, including Arizona and Texas. This species creates nesting tunnels by digging into riverbanks, with burrows sometimes extending several feet underground. It is about half the size of the Belted Kingfisher but has an impressively large bill compared with its body size.

Central and South America

The Ringed Kingfisher has a wide distribution throughout Central and South America and reaches the southernmost areas of the United States, especially the lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. Since the 1960s, its range in Texas has gradually expanded. These birds are comfortable in both freshwater and coastal environments.

The Amazon Kingfisher resembles a larger version of the Green Kingfisher. Like other American water kingfishers in the Cerylinae subfamily, it often hovers above the water before diving to capture prey. Although fish make up an important part of its diet, it also eats amphibians, reptiles and various invertebrates, including insects and crustaceans.

Europe

The Common Kingfisher belongs to the Alcedininae subfamily, also known as river kingfishers. These small, brilliantly colored birds are the only kingfisher species found across much of Europe. Their range also extends through northern Africa, southern Asia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

The White-throated Kingfisher is widely distributed throughout Asia and reaches parts of eastern Europe. Unlike some kingfishers that mainly eat fish, this species has a varied diet. Like many related birds, it produces pellets containing indigestible material. White-throated Kingfishers can be found in environments ranging from sea level to elevations of nearly 7,500 feet.

Asia

Southeast Asia contains one of the greatest concentrations of kingfisher diversity in the world. Banded Kingfishers are found in this region and are notable for their strong differences between males and females. While some kingfisher species have more colorful females, Banded Kingfishers display the opposite pattern, with males showing more elaborate plumage.

The Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher is the smallest member of the kingfisher family, but its bright colors make it impossible to miss. Similar in size to a warbler, this tiny bird inhabits patches of lowland forests from India to Indonesia. Its diet is surprisingly varied and includes geckos, crustaceans, amphibians and other small invertebrates.

Australia

The Laughing Kookaburra is perhaps the most famous kingfisher species and is also one of the largest, reaching roughly the size of a crow. It belongs to the Halcyoninae subfamily, which is the most diverse group of kingfishers. Its famous loud, laughing call is one of the most recognizable bird sounds in Australia, although many related species produce similar territorial calls.

Laughing Kookaburras are commonly found in parks and open woodland areas of eastern and southwestern Australia. They are versatile hunters and feed on a wide range of prey, including fish, lizards, snakes, birds and small mammals.

The Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher lives along northern Australia and on the island of New Guinea. These birds create nests inside termite mounds, using their bright orange bills to excavate suitable chambers. They search for food both on the ground and in forest vegetation, feeding on insects, small reptiles and amphibians. Although their colors are vivid, they can be surprisingly difficult to spot because they often remain still, with their long white tail feathers occasionally moving up and down.

Africa

The Striped Kingfisher inhabits open savannas and thorny scrub environments. Its preferred food includes insects, especially grasshoppers. Like many kingfishers, it hunts from a perch, captures prey, then returns to the same location where it strikes the food against a branch before swallowing it.

The Pied Kingfisher is one of the most widespread kingfishers in the world, with a range extending from Cape Town in South Africa to Beijing in China. It is highly dependent on aquatic environments and has a diet mainly consisting of fish. Unlike many territorial kingfishers, Pied Kingfishers are highly social. They often hunt over open water while hovering before diving for prey, and they gather together in large groups at shared nighttime roosting sites.