{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "kingfisher",
  "name": "Common Kingfisher",
  "scientificName": "Alcedo atthis",
  "category": "Bird",
  "summary": "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.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Aves",
    "order": "Coraciiformes",
    "family": "Alcedinidae",
    "genus": null
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.04,
    "lengthM": 0.16,
    "topSpeedKmh": 40,
    "lifespanYears": 4
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Alcedo atthis"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore (small fish, aquatic insects)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Rivers, streams, lakes, canals"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "2–4 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "34–46 g (1.2–1.6 oz)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Around 40 km/h (25 mph)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Rivers, streams, and lakes across Europe, Asia, and North Africa.",
    "continents": [
      "Europe",
      "Asia",
      "Africa"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Alcedo atthis.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Alcedo%20atthis&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Alcedo atthis. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Alcedo_atthis/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Common Kingfisher.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_kingfisher"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/kingfisher/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/kingfisher/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}