What do kingfishers like to eat, and are they nationally protected animals?

There are many species of kingfishers. They are medium-sized water birds, called kingfishers because the feathers on their faces and backs are emerald blue and glossy. In China they are commonly found in central China, north China, northeast China, southwest China, south China and other places. Their bills are extremely hard and can peck through rock to make a nest. So what do kingfishers like to eat? Are they nationally protected animals?

1. What do kingfishers like to eat?

The kingfisher is a bird that likes to be alone, and is often found in small rivers, thickets, sparse woods and other places. When feeding, it will stay on rocks or branches by the water, waiting for food to take the bait. Small fish are the kingfisher's staple food; besides these, it also eats some crustaceans, aquatic insects and their larvae, small frogs, aquatic plants and so on. Because after the kingfisher dives into the water its eyesight is not affected, and it has a strong ability to adjust for the contrast caused by light, when fishing it strikes accurately every time. It is very impressive and can be considered an expert fisher.

2. Common species of kingfisher

1. Silvery Kingfisher

The Silvery Kingfisher is a relatively small species, with a body length of 14 cm. Its plumage is mainly black and white, and it is distributed only on some islands in the central and southern Philippines.

2. Common Kingfisher

The Common Kingfisher has a body length of 16-17 cm, a wingspan of 24-26 cm, a weight of 40-45 g, and a lifespan of 15 years. Its appearance is similar to the Blyth's Kingfisher, but it is smaller. It moves alone or in pairs and is distributed in North Africa, Eurasia, Japan, India, the Malay Peninsula, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

3. Blue Kingfisher

The Blue Kingfisher has a body length of 17-19 cm, a wingspan of 25-29 cm, and a weight of 40 g. Its plumage is gorgeous and glossy, with the feathers on the head and back blue and shiny, the breast and abdomen a beautiful bright orange-red or reddish-brown, some black mixed into the wings, white spots on the nape and throat, and the tip under the tail mottled gray-black, with bright red legs and feet.

4. White-bellied Kingfisher

The White-bellied Kingfisher has a body length of 14 cm, with females weighing 14.5 g and males weighing 14.7 g. Its plumage is gorgeous and glossy, blue, and its body shape and appearance are roughly comparable to the Crested Kingfisher, but its belly is white, and the feathers on its head cannot be raised into a crest.

3. Are kingfishers nationally protected animals?

There are many kinds of kingfishers, among which the Blue-eared Kingfisher is relatively scarce in China, so it is a second-class protected animal in our country. Because the Blue-eared Kingfisher likes to breed in rainforests, and as some rainforest resources have been destroyed by the process of social development, the survival of the Blue-eared Kingfisher has also been greatly threatened, so it is very necessary to protect them.

It is worth noting that although the White-bellied Kingfisher among the kingfisher species is not listed as a nationally protected animal, it is still a wild animal of great research value. Catching it on your own is an illegal act, and when the number reaches a certain level it will become a major case. Everyone must not knowingly break the law.