# What Do Common Kingfishers Eat?

> What common kingfishers eat: Carnivore (small fish, aquatic insects), foraging style, and seasonal shifts in Rivers, streams, lakes, canals.

- **Species:** Common Kingfisher (*Alcedo atthis*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Carnivore (small fish, aquatic insects)
- **Habitat:** Rivers, streams, lakes, canals
- **Lifespan:** 2–4 years in the wild
- **Top speed:** Around 40 km/h (25 mph)
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/kingfisher/what-do-kingfisher-eat/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/kingfisher/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The common kingfisher is a small, vividly colored bird with electric-blue upperparts and orange underparts, found along rivers and streams across Europe, Asia, and North Africa. It hunts by perching above water and diving headfirst to catch small fish. Fast and territorial, common kingfishers usually live only a few years in the wild.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a captive feeding plan from a veterinarian. This page is wild diet, not a pet-care sheet.

## Behavior and hunting

The common kingfisher perches on a low branch over clear, slow-moving water and watches for prey before plunging in headfirst to seize a fish. It can adjust for the way light bends at the water's surface, striking with remarkable accuracy. Back on its perch, it beats the fish against the branch before swallowing it head-first.

## Help protect the Common Kingfisher

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/kingfisher/what-do-kingfisher-eat/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.