Most Colorful Birds on the Planet (And Where to Find Them)

8. Common Kingfisher
Latin name: Alcedo atthis
Unique colorful feature: Teal blue with orange underparts
Where they are found: Worldwide
Size: Length: 6 to 7 inches long (17 to 19 cm); Weight: 1.2 to 1.6 ounces (34 to 46 grams); Wingspan: 9.8 inches (25 cm)
Diet: small fish

Found all over the world nearby ponds, rivers and lakes, these little birds have an amazing knack for diving into the water and snagging its prey of small fish or crustaceans with its long, dagger-like beak.

There are more than 90 species of kingfishers in the world, but the common kingfisher tops them all when it comes to colorfulness with its teal blue feathers and bright orange underparts.


Common kingfishers prefer to be loners and only pair up with others during mating season.

To win over a female, a male will offer a fish to her. If she accepts his gift, the two will then make a nest together in a bank burrow, tree hollow or termite mound.

After the female lays three to six eggs, both parents will share in brooding and raising the chicks until they are a few months old.