Article
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Life Science,

Meet the Kingfisher

Dive in with this amazing bird

By Lauren Morse
From the May/June 2023 Issue

Learning Objective: Students will ask questions about kingfishers and obtain information to answer their questions.

Focus Area: Adaptations,
Standards
  • NGSS: Core Idea: LS1.A, LS4.C CCSS: Reading Informational Text: 9. TEKS: Science: 3.1A, 4.1A, 5.1A, 6.1A; ELA: 3.6B, 4.6B, 5.6B, 6.5B

Presentation View

A rattling call pierces the air. A bird hovers, beating its wings, staring into a murky pond. Suddenly, it dives into the water, creating barely a ripple. The bird emerges carrying its prize—a squirming fish—to a nearby branch. THWACK! It smacks the fish against its perch, then gulps it down.

This bird is a fierce predator called a kingfisher. Kingfishers come in many sizes and colors, but their bodies are similar. They all have a large head, a long bill, short legs, and a stubby tail. Some kingfisher species have an amazing ability to spot underwater prey from a great distance—up to 90 meters (295 feet).

But despite their name, many kingfishers don’t catch fish. Most species hunt small animals like frogs and lizards. One species uses its bill like a shovel, digging in the soil for worms. Read on to learn more about this fascinating group of feathered hunters.

All in the Family

There are nearly 120 species of kingfishers. The birds live on every continent except Antarctica.

Image showing three different types of birds

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM (ALL IMAGES)

Belted kingfishers live near waterways across the U.S. Can you spot one near you?

Tiny black-backed dwarf-kingfishers, found in parts of Asia, weigh only as much as a mouse!

Laughing kookaburras, the biggest kingfishers, live in Australia and weigh up to 1 pound.

Diving for Dinner

Image of a bird about to plunge into water

GARETH WHISTON/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

THE PLUNGE: A kingfisher can dive at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour. Its smooth, sleek beak helps it slice into the water.

Image of a bird underwater with a fish in its mouth

VINCE BURTON/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

THE CATCH: Underwater, the bird snatches its prey in the blink of an eye! It quickly emerges with its meal clamped in its beak.

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Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

BEFORE READING:

  • Share the graphic organizer I Notice, I Wonder with students. Play the video “Kingfishers in Action!” for students. Have them record their observations and questions, pausing the video as needed and having students share aloud.
  • Project the online article in the Presentation View. Use the spotlight tool to show students the large image of a kingfisher. Have students list additional observations and questions. Encourage them to make as many observations and ask as many questions as they can based on what they see

DURING READING:

  • Read the introduction on page 16. Have students check off and discuss questions that were answered in the text. Then examine the article’s additional images and captions, discussing questions that are being answered. Have students highlight questions that remain unanswered on their graphic organizer.
  • Summarize what students have learned about a kingfisher’s adaptations, or body parts and behaviors that help it survive. Summarize the adaptations that help kingfishers catch prey, replaying the video and pointing them out (e.g., dive quickly; have a long, sharp bill). This is one example of how adaptations help kingfishers survive.

AFTER READING:

  • Let students reread independently and summarize what they learned about kingfishers and their adaptations. For students who need more support, share sentence starters like: One adaptation that kingfishers have is ________________. This adaptation helps them survive because ________________.
  • Circle back to students’ unanswered questions. Discuss how those could be answered, using reputable sources from the internet or books from the library. Let students find the answer to one or more remaining questions about kingfishers.

TAKE IT FURTHER:

  • Ask students what other birds they think are interesting. Brainstorm a class list. Share the Creature Research skills sheet with them. Discuss different sources that they might use, including SuperScience, webpages, and books. Support students in conducting research in small groups before they create their reports independently. Work with students to generate traits birds have in common (e.g., have feathers; lay eggs; are vertebrates, or have backbones) and traits that vary (e.g., their habitats, prey, and beak structure; their ways of movement can include flying, swimming, or walking).

Text-to-Speech