Most kingfishers have bright and colorful plumage, big heads, and small feet. Although the kingfishers are small and beautiful, they are quite ferocious.

Living near the water, they not only eat fish and shrimp but also catch insects and even small birds and animals. They also "beat" their prey before eating.

In addition, the kingfisher has some other secrets.

1. Not just blue

Describing what the common kingfisher looks like is a hassle because of the garish colors of its plumage.

The description of it in the zoology and bird illustrations can be simply summarized as follows: it is roughly a long-billed bird with a blue upper part of the body and an orange lower part of the body. It has a big head and small feet, and its body length is only about 15 cm including the beak.

2. Distinguish male and female with one mouth

The bird's beak is composed of upper and lower parts, which can be called the upper beak and the lower beak respectively.

The upper and lower beaks of common male kingfishers are black, while the lower beaks of females are basically orange-red. In addition, the upper body of the female kingfisher is bluish, while the upper body of the male is greener.

3. Fish-catching skill

Kingfishers eat fish every day. They will wait for a long time at the water's edge and have a good view. Once it sees the prey, it will rush out like an arrow leaving the string, enter the water, catch the fish, get out of the water, and fly back to the resting place almost instantly.

After entering the water, the kingfisher can maintain excellent eyesight, because after it enters the water, it can quickly adjust the contrast of the angle of view caused by the light in the water. But even with such a quick action to catch fish, the success rate is not 100%.

4. Live in a hole in a tree

Ordinary kingfishers will dig holes in the earth cliffs by the water to make their homes, generally at a depth of about 60 cm.

Such nests can help them better avoid natural enemies. Moreover, the kingfisher's feet are weak and have almost no grasping ability, so they cannot use their claws to grab the nest material to build a nest.

But their beaks are long and hard, so it is not difficult to dig a hole. After the cub hatch, adult kingfishers have to go back and forth several times a day to catch fish and feed their children. The hole is very simple, almost without any bedding material.

5. Self-cultivation

Common kingfishers are very adaptable and can live very well around humans. They can be seen anywhere the water is not particularly shallow and there are fish in the water.

In most cases, their range of living activities is relatively stable, especially when the water is in good condition and there is much fish.