kingfisher

American  

[king-fish-er] / ˈkɪŋˌfɪʃ ər /

noun

1. any of numerous fish- or insect-eating birds of the family Alcedinidae that have a large head and a long, stout bill and are usually crested and brilliantly colored.

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kingfisher British  

/ ˈkɪŋˌfɪʃə /

noun

1. any coraciiform bird of the family Alcedinidae, esp the Eurasian Alcedo atthis, which has a greenish-blue and orange plumage. Kingfishers have a large head, short tail, and long sharp bill and tend to live near open water and feed on fish

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Etymology

Origin of kingfisher

1400–50; king + fisher; replacing king's fisher, late Middle English kinges fisher

Example Sentences

From down in the bottoms I heard the shrill call of a bobwhite and the clammering cry of a kingfisher in flight.

From Literature

I gazed at its marshes and rice fields, at kingfishers hovering to dive, cattle egrets dotting the landscape with white, and weaverbird nests dangling from trees like Christmas decorations.

From Literature

Christopher Banks, a wildlife campaigner in Bolton, claimed the digging had affected areas used by kingfishers.

From BBC

Other birds in the area include pygmy owls, belted kingfishers and wild turkey.

From Los Angeles Times

Along the River Otter Mr Burgess tells me the beavers have created wetlands that now host species such as great white egrets and kingfishers.

From BBC