Kingfishers on coast

[sanderling]

I was looking at two Kingfishers feeding along the freshwater ditches and lagoon just behind my local beach here on Isle of Wight. Does anyone know whether Kingfishers ever feed on saltwater fish in low tide pools along the beach for instance?

[aeshna5]

In winter, especially if hard weather, Kingfishers will hunt along the coast, so will take marine species. Some exotic species such as Pied Kingfishers regularly hunt over beaches, etc.

[Wild-Woman]

A good place to see them catching fish is Rye Harbour. They get the full range of fresh water meets the sea there.

[paulchandler6]

Kingfishers do feed on saltwater fish. Have seen them regularly on the Isles of Scilly around the beaches and also at other coastal sites.
Especially in cold weather when inland waters are frozen over.

Paul

[sanderling]

Thats very interesting to hear that Kingfishers do take sea fish, I'll try to watch out to see if these ones are doing this.

[ron1863]

Many Kinfishers migrate to the coast in Winter, especially in colder regions.

[naturelover]

do you know i never thought kingfishers went to the sea front for food,boy i am learning a lot of things on this site.

[rlchew]

I have occasionally seen Kingfishers fishing around the saltmarsh and creeks along the Essex coast.

Richard

[JeffH]

According to David Boag's excellent book on Kingfishers, apparently it tends to be immature birds that feed from saltwater, probably because they have been unable to establish a territory of their own before the onset of winter.

Information gained from ringed birds shows that in the UK most Kingfishers tend to travel less than 10 kilometres from their birth place, but in very cold conditions and once the rivers begin to freeze (does that happen here any more?) the birds will follow the rivers to the coast.

In Germany the Kingfisher is known as the 'ice bird' because it retreats southwards in front of encroaching ice.

Some 30 years ago whilst watching waders in Morecambe Bay and in the coldest conditions I've ever experienced (even the edge of the sea was frozen in parts ) I watched a Kingfisher fishing in the shallows.

Jeff

[coasty]

the river I fish runs to the sea near my house,,,In the harder winters I have seen the resident kingfishers hunting the tidal areas,,, the main problem I think is a lack of perches,,,,I know the otters go down to the sea often especially in winter