ALCEDO.
Bill compressed sideways ; tail short ; plumage brilliant ; food, fish and aquatic insects, caught by plunging from a perch on bank of river or lake, or from a hovering position.
Alcedo atthis atthis L. (" Alcedo ispida pallida " of au th ors.) d 9 Crown, nape, and wing coverts dull green, barred or spotted blue ; back, rump, and upper tail coverts brilliant blue, scapulars greener ; lores, ear coverts, and underparts reddish chestnut ; throat and spots on neck white. Bill black, reddish at base below. Legs and feet coral red. Wing 71-79 (H.). Young have some blue grey feathers on breast.
Resident.—N. Africa (Morocco to Egypt) and Syria.
A. atthis ispida L. Kingfisher. Fr. Martin pecheur ; Ger. Gemeiner Eisvogel ; Ital. Piombina ; Swed. Kungsfiskare.
d .9 Like "atthis" but bill stouter, underparts generally darker and young have generally more and also bluer grey feathers on breast. Wing 74-79. Tarsus 9-1o. Bill 33-40.
Breeds. —British Isles, Europe from S. Scandinavia and about 55' in Russia (rare Denmark and Baltic Provinces) to Mediter ranean, Cyprus, Sicily. Chiefly resident. Occurs Corsica and Sardinia in winter. Rare visitor Madeira.
A. atthis pallasi Reichenbach. Smaller. Wing 7o-75 (II.). Bill shorter than in "ispida." Doubtfully separable from typical form.
Breeds. — Caucasus, Volga and Ural Rivers and in W. Siberia ; probably also Asia Minor.