Newsletter / Blog
2011-10-07 RSPB - UK - confirms Common Kingfisher Comeback.
A recent study from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
has confirmed that the Common Kingfisher - Alcedo atthis - which has been declining for
the past two years because of harsh winters, is once again thriving. The birds are susceptible to overly cold weather because as ice freezes
their waterway habitats, the birds have trouble getting sufficient
food. The birds' small size - just 6-7 inches long - also makes coping
with cold weather a challenge.
During the 2009-2010 winter, the coldest the UK has seen in 30 years,
kingfisher populations dropped up to 40 percent. Thanks to prolific
breeding and large broods, however, the birds are rapidly regaining
their lost numbers.
Common kingfishers can be found along riparian corridors including the edges of lakes, ponds and rivers, and while
they are shy birds, they can often be seen perching motionless while
they look for their next morsel of prey. Devon, Hampshire and Berkshire
are the best places for viewing kingfishers in the UK.
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