Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderCoraciiformes (Rollers, Kingfishers, and Allies)
- FamilyAlcedinidae (Kingfishers)
- GenusAlcedo (Typical River Kingfishers)
- SpeciesAlcedo atthis (Common Kingfisher)
The common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), also known as the Eurasian kingfisher and river kingfisher, is a small kingfisher with seven subspecies recognized within its wide distribution across Eurasia and North Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but migrates from areas where rivers freeze in winter. This sparrow-sized bird has the typical short-tailed, large-headed kingfisher profile; it has blue upperparts, orange underparts and a long bill. It feeds mainly on fish, caught by diving, and has special visual adaptations to enable it to see prey under water. The glossy white eggs are laid in a nest at the end of a burrow in a riverbank. Wikipedia →
20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Common Kingfisher sighting in Minneriya National Park, based on 58 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Minneriya National Park
White-throated Kingfisher
Halcyon smyrnensis
Stork-billed Kingfisher
Pelargopsis capensis
Black-backed Dwarf-Kingfisher
Ceyx erithaca
Pied Kingfisher
Ceryle rudis
Black-capped Kingfisher
Halcyon pileata
Asian Green Bee-eater
Merops orientalis
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Merops philippinus
Indian Roller
Coracias benghalensis
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater
Merops leschenaulti
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Common Kingfisher in Minneriya National Park?
About 28% of wildlife watchers report a Common Kingfisher sighting in Minneriya National Park, based on 58 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Common Kingfisher in Minneriya National Park?
September has the highest sighting rate for Common Kingfisher in Minneriya National Park in our monthly data.