It is one of the most striking living beings in the animal kingdom. Its about kingfishera small bird that has the attribute of hunting fish and for that it must dive and thus catch its prey.
It is an emblematic bird of rivers and lakes, and although some manage to photograph it, it is very elusive to curious glances. It has different subspecies, but the best known is the kingfisher common, whose scientific name is Alcedo atthis.
The kingfisher lives in Europe and Asia, and stands out because it is a migratory bird. Its size is small and it has a special color on the back of the body, head and wings, which is a very striking electric blue.
The type of specimens that inhabits Spain, for example, is often confused with a bird very exotic. If you look closely, their feathers are brown, but they have a microscopic structure that only reflects certain wavelengths and that gives it the color.
The belly, for its part, is orange, with certain white areas on the throat. The most curious thing is that despite its striking plumage, it usually goes unnoticed because it is possible to confuse it with the reflections of the water.
Its main attribute is its beak, with the fighter. This one is large and black in color with an orange transition. This part of its body works like a harpoon, allowing it to fish and catch its prey.
exemplary speed
Nature is wise, they say, and it is totally true. In the case of kingfisher, the shape of its body and its beak make it hydrodynamic; so it must cross the water and reduce its speed 200 times. He inspired the design of the bullet train in China.
It has a special power because it must see where the fish it will hunt are, despite the refraction of the water. He achieves this because he has maximum precision in his eyes and moves his head to avoid reflections. He closes his eyes as he crosses the water.
