Kingfisher
- the turquoise turbo
The kingfisher is Denmark's most colourful bird. The name comes from the German 'Eisvogel' meaning iron bird. The name refers to the kingfisher's metal-like glistening turquoise colours.
The kingfisher is quite shy and it can be difficult to spot. If you are lucky, you can see it as a vibrant blue and red streak as it skims across the water surface.
The kingfisher lives by clear rivers and brooks. It nests in a cliff by the watercourse, where it digs a tunnel up to 1 metre into the cliff.
Nosedives from a branch
Fish and aquatic insects are its favourite food. It captures its prey by nosediving from a branch overhanging the water. Although it is only about 15 cm long, it catches fish with a length of up to 10 cm.
There are approximately 300 pairs of breeding kingfishers in Denmark.
![](http://test.kongeaaen.tgsite.dk/sites/default/files/isfugl_lille.jpg)
Facts about the kingfisher
Height 16 cm
Wingspan 25 cm
Bright turquoise topside and orange-red underside. Blue-green wings and white stripe on the neck.
Quite rare breeding bird in Denmark. Most common in Central and Eastern Jutland.