Listen to the common kingfisher
Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.
About the common kingfisher
The common kingfisher is a bird in the family Alcedinidae (order Coraciiformes). Its conservation status on the IUCN Red List is “least concern”. Adults have a wingspan of about 25 cm and weigh around 4 g.
What does the common kingfisher sound like?
Bird vocalisations are usually divided into songs – longer, often complex phrases used to defend territory and attract mates, sung mostly by males in the breeding season – and calls: short, simple sounds for contact, alarm, begging or flight.
The recordings here are labelled as flight call. Listen for differences in rhythm, pitch and repetition – the spectrum display makes it easy to see whether a sound is a pure whistle (a thin line), a harsh call (a broad band) or a trill (rapid repeated marks).
From Wikipedia
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.
Related birds in the genus Alcedo
More from the family Alcedinidae
Pied kingfisher
Ceryle rudis
White-throated kingfisher
Halcyon smyrnensis
Laughing kookaburra
Dacelo novaeguineae
Stork-billed kingfisher
Pelargopsis capensis
Grey-headed kingfisher
Halcyon leucocephala
Sacred kingfisher
Todiramphus sanctus
Brown-hooded kingfisher
Halcyon albiventris
Ringed kingfisher
Megaceryle torquata
Green kingfisher
Chloroceryle americana
Blue-winged kookaburra
Dacelo leachii
Frequently asked questions
What does a common kingfisher sound like?
You can hear 1 recording of the common kingfisher on this page, including its flight call. Bird vocalisations are usually divided into songs – longer, often complex phrases used to defend territory and attract mates, sung mostly by males in the breeding season – and calls: short, simple sounds for contact, alarm, begging or flight.
Is the common kingfisher endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the common kingfisher as “least concern”.
What family does the common kingfisher belong to?
The common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) belongs to the family Alcedinidae in the order Coraciiformes.
Sources & credits
- Flight call · Trilbardou… by Marie-Lan Taÿ Pamart – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Wikidata Q79915 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Common kingfisher – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo by Artemy Voikhansky – CC BY-SA 4.0