River kingfisher
River kingfishers are small, mostly fish-eating birds in the subfamily Alcedininae. They typically hunt by diving into water from a perch.
Kingfisher hunting: A hunting method in which a kingfisher watches prey from a perch and dives to seize it. This is the characteristic way river kingfishers capture fish.
Alcedininae: A subfamily of small kingfishers that includes many species associated with rivers and other waters. River kingfishers are chiefly classified within this kingfisher subfamily.
Riparian habitat: The land and vegetation bordering rivers, streams, and other bodies of water. Perches and nesting sites along water make riparian habitat central to many species.
Common kingfisher: A small Eurasian kingfisher, Alcedo atthis, with vivid blue upperparts and orange underparts. This familiar species exemplifies a small river kingfisher that plunges for fish.
Binocular vision: Visual perception produced by overlapping views from both eyes, allowing depth judgments. Overlapping visual fields help a hunting bird estimate a fish's distance.
Kingfisher: A family of brightly colored birds, many of which hunt aquatic or terrestrial prey. River kingfishers are one group within the broader kingfisher family.
Kingfisher nest: A nesting chamber excavated in a bank or other suitable substrate by some kingfishers. Many river kingfishers breed in tunnels dug into earthen banks.
Azure kingfisher: A small Australasian kingfisher, Ceyx azureus, found around freshwater habitats. Its compact form and waterside habits illustrate the group's diversity beyond Eurasia.
Refraction: The change in a wave's direction as it passes between materials with different propagation speeds. Light bends at the water surface, shifting the apparent position of submerged prey.
Coraciiformes: An order of birds that includes kingfishers, bee-eaters, rollers, and related groups. This is the larger bird order containing kingfishers.