How fast are Kingfishers? (1 Viewer)

[wildirishswan]

Does anybody know at what speed a Kingfisher can fly?

When diving for fish?
When zooming along a river?


Here is a video i shot of a Kingfisher diving and catching a small fish, in this video i have repeated the same dive over again for effect.

VIDEO LINK.......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obt6QrYc6Xo

 

[Fozzybear]

They tried to measure dive speed in Halcyon River Diaries on the BBC though I can't remember the exact speed. It was actually pretty slow - 10-20mph or something like that I think.

 

[wildirishswan]

Id say that speed is pretty close.

I had a look at your photos, great shot on the Barn owl.

 

[MJB]

They tried to measure dive speed in Halcyon River Diaries on the BBC though I can't remember the exact speed. It was actually pretty slow - 10-20mph or something like that I think.

Something small, iridescent blue and shifting looks fast at 20mph.
Stork-billed Kingfisher in south-east Asia is both fast and aggressive, and is known to have killed fish eagles, often with kamekaze consequences. Many kingfisher species have relatively short wings, a strong compact body and a great bill at the front, which mitigates against manoeuvreability. Consequently, Stork-billed Kingfisher turns rather like Charlie Chaplin, continuing in the original direction with much side-slipping, before begiining to accelerate on its new heading. They used to come through our Temburong campsite in Brunei.
MJB