One of the most beautiful birds that can be seen in Belarus - kingfisher (Alcedo atthis). This very small bird is easily hidden from human eyes, it is rather problematic to meet it. Kingfisher common stays away from other birds and leads a bit of a reclusive lifestyle.
Preferred habitats are steep banks near clean rivers with dams. It feeds on fish, sometimes insects and even small frogs. That is why the presence of a reservoir is an integral part of the life of a kingfisher.
The kingfisher looks like a real exotic bird. The back is a rich turquoise (a mixture of green and blue) with a stripe of light blue and small bright specks. The belly and cheeks are reddish (orange).
It is difficult to distinguish between a female and a male. The main differences are the size (the male is slightly larger), the beak (in the male it is completely black, in the female the bottom has an orange color), brightness (traditionally in birds).
The kingfisher moves very quickly and mainly with the help of wings, since the legs are short. This is another factor that complicates the detection of this beautiful bird: it sits motionless on the branches, and flies unnoticed.
Common kingfishers live long enough - about 15 years. They create monogamous couples (although there are exceptions), breed offspring by mid-spring, and sometimes they even manage to do it twice (the second time is closer to the end of summer). Chicks, however, like adults, require an impressive amount of food, so the bird spends almost the whole day in search of food.
Since 1981, this bird has been included in the Red Book. Belarus.
