Kingfishers

Kingfishers are a family of small to medium-sized, brightly colored birds. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species found in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania but also can be seen in Europe. They live in deep forests near calm ponds and small rivers. The family contains 114 species. 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. They consume a wide range of prey usually caught by swooping down from a perch. While kingfishers are usually thought to live near rivers and eat fish, many species live away from water and eat small invertebrates. Like other members of their order, they nest in cavities, usually tunnels dug into the natural or artificial banks in the ground. Some kingfishers nest in arboreal termite nests. The typical clutch size varies by species; the typical is around three to six eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs and the chicks usually stay with the parents for 3-4 months.