Kingfisher
Steve Backshall presents the story and sound of the kingfisher.
Tweet of the Day is a series of fascinating stories about our British birds inspired by their calls and songs. Steve Backshall presents the kingfisher.
The Ancient Greeks knew the kingfisher as Halcyon and believed that the female built her nest on the waves, calming the seas while she brooded her eggs: hence the expression Halcyon days, which we use now for periods of tranquillity.
Kingfishers can bring in over 100 fish a day to their large broods and the resulting collection of bones and offal produces a stench that doesn't match the bird's attractive appearance.
Last on
Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
Broadcasts
- Tue 16 Jul 2013 05:58Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
- Tue 29 Jul 2014 05:58Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
- Wed 4 May 2016 05:58Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
- Tue 11 Apr 2017 05:58Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
- Thu 28 Mar 2019 05:58Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
- Sun 13 Sep 2020 08:58Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
- Tue 7 Feb 2023 05:58Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
Podcast: Planet Puffin
Exploring all things puffin - the silly and the serious, the scientific and the cultural.
Try this new podcast
Five stories of birds and birdsong are told by the people inspired by them.
Podcast
-
![]()
Tweet of the Day
Discover birds through their songs and calls. 265 programmes of 90 seconds, over a year
