Alcedo atthis

Kingfisher - An unmistakable bird with its beautiful cobalt blue back and orange breast. The kingfisher will sit motionless on a branch or twig overhanging the water waiting for an unsuspecting small fish such as minnows or sticklebacks. It will then plunge dive with astonishing accuracy and return to the perch where it will turn the fish head first before swallowing it whole. They built a nest of fish bones after making an upward pointed tunnel in the riverbank or waterside. Despite its really bright colours it is difficult to see when motionless. It is more often observed when flying down or across the water with a short but loud whistle at speed. I photograph these birds in the Algarve at Vilamoura reed beds and Quinta Do Lago in Portugal.

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