¤ (Alcedo atthis) Common Kingfisher in Kingfisher Family (Alcedinidae) wide distribution across Eurasia & North Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but migrates from areas where rivers freeze in winter.

Short-tailed, dumpy-bodied, large-headed & long-billed kingfisher shape. Adult male of the western European subspecies (Alcedo atthis ispida) has Green-Blue upperparts with pale Azure-Blue back & rump, a Rufous patch by bill base & a Rufous ear-patch. It has a Green-Blue neck stripe, White neck blaze & throat, Rufous underparts & a black bill with some Red at base. Legs & feet are bright Red.

It is about 16 cm long with a wingspan of 25 cm & weighs 34-46 g.

Female is identical in appearance to Male except that her lower mandible is Orange-Red with a Black tip.

Juvenile is similar to adult, but with duller & Greener upperparts & paler underparts. Its bill is black & legs are also initially black.

Feathers are moulted gradually between July & November with the main flight feathers taking 90–100 days to moult and regrow. Some that moult late may suspend their moult during cold winter weather.[citation needed]

Flight is fast, direct & usually low over water. Short, rounded wings whirr rapidly & a bird flying away shows an electric-blue 'flash' down its back.

In North Africa, Europe & Asia north of Himalayas, this is only small Blue Kingfisher. In south & southeast Asia, it can be confused with six other small Blue-and-Rufous Kingfishers, but Rufous ear patches distinguish it from all but juvenile Blue-eared kingfishers; details of head pattern may be necessary to differentiate two species where both occur.

Has no song. Flight call is a short, sharp whistle chee repeated two or three times. Anxious birds emit a harsh, shrit-it-it & nestlings call for food with a churring noise.

7 Subspecies
☆ (Alcedo atthis atthis)
☆ (Alcedo atthis bengalensis)
☆ (Alcedo atthis floresiana)
☆ (Alcedo atthis hispidoides)
☆ (Alcedo atthis ispida)
☆ (Alcedo atthis salomonensis)
☆ (Alcedo atthis taprobana)
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▪︎ Genus Alcedo (7)
¤ (Alcedo atthis) Common Kingfisher
¤ (Alcedo coerulescens) Small Blue Kingfisher, Cerulean Kingfisher
¤ (Alcedo euryzona) Javan Blue-banded Kingfisher, Blue-banded Kingfisher
¤ (Alcedo hercules) Blyth's Kingfisher
¤ (Alcedo meninting) Blue-eared Kingfisher
¤ (Alcedo quadribrachys) Shining-blue Kingfisher
¤ (Alcedo semitorquata) Half-collared Kingfisher
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•¹ Family Alcedinidae (115) - Kingfishers
◇¹ Subfamily Alcedininae (37) - River Kingfishers, Pygmy Kingfishers
▪︎ Genus Alcedo (7)
▪︎ Genus Ceyx (22)
▪︎ Genus Corythornis (4)
▪︎ Genus Ispidina (2)
▪︎ Genus Syma (2)
◇² Subfamily Cerylinae (9) Water Kingfishers, Cerylid Kingfishers
▪︎ Genus Ceryle (1) - Pied Kingfisher
▪︎ Genus Chloroceryle (4) - Green Kingfishers
▪︎ Genus Megaceryle (4)
◇³ Subfamily Halcyoninae (69) Tree Kingfishers, Wood Kingfishers
▪︎ Genus Actenoides (6)
▪︎ Genus Caridonax (1) - White-rumped Kingfisher, Glittering Kingfisher
▪︎ Genus Cittura (1) - Sulawesi Lilac Kingfisher, Lilac-cheeked Kingfisher, Lilac Kingfisher
▪︎ Genus Clytoceyx (1) - Shovel-billed Kookaburra, Shovel-billed Kingfisher
▪︎ Genus Dacelo (4) - Kookaburras
▪︎ Genus Halcyon (12) - Blue Kingfishers
▪︎ Genus Lacedo (1) - Banded Kingfisher
▪︎ Genus Melidora (1) - Hook-billed Kingfisher
▪︎ Genus Pelargopsis (3)
▪︎ Genus Tanysiptera (9) - Paradise Kingfishers
▪︎ Genus Todiramphus (30)
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♤ Class Aves (10,677) - Birds
☆ Order Coraciiformes (183) - Todies, Rollers, Motmots, Kingfishers, Bee-eaters
•¹ Family Alcedinidae (115) - Kingfishers
•² Family Brachypteraciidae (5) - Ground-rollers, Ground Rollers
•³ Family Coraciidae (13) - Rollers
•⁴ Family Meropidae (31) - Bee-eaters
•⁵ Family Momotidae (14) - Motmots
•⁶ Family Todidae (5) - Todies
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♧ Kingdom Animalia
◇ Phylum Chordata
○ Subphylum Vertebrata
□ Infraphylum Gnathostomata
■ Parvphylum Osteichthyes
♡ Megaclass Tetrapoda
♤ Class Amphibia - Amphibians 🐸
♤ Class Aves - Birds 🐦
♤ Class Mammalia - Mammals 🐯
♤ Class Not assigned
☆ Order Crocodylia - Crocodilians 🐊
☆ Order Rhynchocephalia - Tuatara
☆ Order Squamata - Scaled Reptiles - Lizards & Snakes 🦎🐍
☆ Order Testudines - Turtles 🐢
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