Common Kingfisher

Alcedo atthis
A brilliantly coloured bird with electric blue upperparts and an orange underside. Kingfishers typically haunt slow-moving freshwater but can also appear in tidal zones or along the coast when fish are abundant. Around Lihou, they’re uncommon visitors—if you’re fortunate, you might glimpse one perched on a rock outcrop near a pool, darting off with a flash of blue to hunt small fish or shrimps.
- Habitat: Slow-moving rivers, ponds, lakes, or coastal tidepools where fish are plentiful.
- Diet / Food: Primarily small fish; also aquatic insects and crustaceans.
- Length: 17–19 cm