Bird of the Week: Azure Kingfisher

Here’s someone special. We have a few pairs of the Azure Kingfisher, Alcedo azurea, around Bunjaree Cottages, and since I haven’t written about our birdlife for a while, I thought this fellow was worth an introduction.

These birds aren’t often close to the cottages themselves. Rather, they live in the hanging swamp that occupies part of the property (the bush conservation area).

They can sometimes be seen, however, flying towards “the dam” – which isn’t actually a

The Azure Kingfisher. Photo credit: JJ Harisson. License: Wikimedia Commons. Original at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Alcedo_azurea_-_Julatten.jpg

dam, it’s the hole where the clay was dug to build the cottages. While it mostly favours yabbies and small fish, when the weather is right, the dam is a haunt for frogs which attract the kingfishers.

They’re a very beautiful bird, as you can see – so if you’re lucky enough to spot one, consider it a special treat!