Nature notes ·
Kingfishers in the UK: how rare they are, where they nest and the best time to see one
The short answer
Kingfishers are hard to see but not rare: the BTO counts about 3,850 breeding pairs in the UK and rates them Green, not of conservation concern. They are protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, nest in tunnels dug into river banks, and are about 16 cm long. Look from August on, on slow, clear water in the early morning.
Are kingfishers rare in the UK?
Hard to see, yes. Rare, not really. The BTO estimates about 3,850 breeding pairs in the UK (2016) and lists the kingfisher as Green in its Birds of Conservation Concern review, which means it is not a bird of concern. The RSPB agrees on the Green status, and rates the kingfisher as hard to see.
The reason is size and habit. A kingfisher is a small bird that sits very still on a low perch, then leaves as a blue streak when it spots you. Hard winters are the main risk: the RSPB says severe weather can hit the population hard, and so can pollution and poor management of watercourses.
Are kingfishers protected?
Yes. The RSPB says the kingfisher is on Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, which gives it extra protection. In practice that means you must not disturb a kingfisher at its nest. If you find a nest tunnel, watch from a distance or not at all, and never use playback or bait to draw a bird out.
Where do kingfishers nest?
In river banks. The Woodland Trust says pairs dig a tunnel into a high-sided bank and make a small chamber at the end for their eggs. WWT adds that steep, natural banks like these are disappearing, and has built artificial nesting banks at Arundel and in London to make up for it.
The BTO gives the timings. The first clutch is laid around 25 April on average, usually five to seven eggs, incubated by both parents for about 20 days. The chicks fledge after roughly 22 to 26 days. A pair usually raises one or two broods, and occasionally three.
How big is a kingfisher?
Smaller than most people expect. The Woodland Trust gives a body length of about 16 cm and a wingspan of about 25 cm. That is only slightly bigger than a robin, but nearly twice as heavy. The BTO's average adult weight is 39 g.
What is a kingfisher's habitat?
Slow-moving or still, clear water. The RSPB lists rivers, canals and lakes, and sometimes garden ponds. The BTO says kingfishers are widespread on lowland rivers and still waters, and are most often recorded along rivers in the breeding season. You can find them across most of the UK except northern Scotland.
They need a perch to fish from and a steep earth bank to nest in. The Wildlife Trusts add that gravel pits and park lakes are worth checking too.
What is the best time to see a kingfisher?
Sources do not quite agree, which is useful: it means there is no bad season.
- August: the RSPB says it is a good month, because young birds leave home to look for territories and more birds are about.
- Summer: the Wildlife Trusts suggest settling by a river in summer. WWT says breeding adults range more widely from about April to August, feeding young.
- Winter: WWT says sightings are good then, with less foliage to hide the birds. The BTO says some leave their territories in winter, sometimes for the coast, to escape poor fishing weather.
For time of day, WWT says early morning, when they wake hungry and start fishing at once.
Where can you see a kingfisher?
Think slow, clear water with overhanging branches. The Wildlife Trusts say a few reserves are near-certain bets. They call Lackford Lakes in Suffolk an almost guaranteed sighting, often from the visitor centre. They also list Attenborough in Nottinghamshire, Cley Marshes and Hickling Broad in Norfolk, Brandon Marsh in Warwickshire, Potteric Carr and Wheldrake Ings in Yorkshire, Rutland Water, Tring Reservoirs in Hertfordshire and Crane Park Island in London.
A few tips from WWT and the Wildlife Trusts:
- Listen first. The call is a short, high whistle, and it often gives the bird away before you see it.
- Scan low perches over the water as well as the flight path. A kingfisher sits still, bobbing its head to judge a fish.
- Sit in a hide or among bankside plants rather than walking along the water. They startle easily.
- Keep going back to the same stretch. Kingfishers are territorial, so a favourite spot pays off.
If you like a river, you may see more than a kingfisher: the same stretches are worth checking for otters.
Quick questions
Are kingfishers rare in the UK?
Not in the sense of being in trouble. The BTO estimates 3,850 breeding pairs (2016) and lists the kingfisher as Green, and the RSPB gives the same Green status. They are hard to see, though: the RSPB rates the kingfisher as hard to find.
Are kingfishers protected?
Yes. The RSPB lists the kingfisher on Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, which gives it extra protection. Disturbing a Schedule 1 bird at its nest is an offence.
Where do kingfishers nest?
In a tunnel dug into a steep, high-sided river bank, with a small chamber at the end for the eggs, according to the Woodland Trust. WWT says suitable banks are disappearing, and has built artificial ones.
How big is a kingfisher?
About 16 cm long with a wingspan of about 25 cm, says the Woodland Trust: a little bigger than a robin, and nearly twice as heavy. The BTO gives an average adult weight of 39 g.
What is the best time of year to see a kingfisher?
Sources vary. The RSPB points to August, when young birds are looking for territories. The Wildlife Trusts suggest summer, and WWT says winter sightings are good too, with less leaf cover.
The animals in this note
What else is about: August · September · October · November · December · January · February
In the game, find these in: The Norfolk Broads