Common Kingfisher vs Buse à queue rousse
Alcedo atthis comparé à Buteo jamaicensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Common Kingfisher | Buse à queue rousse |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Alcedo atthis | Buteo jamaicensis |
| Ordre | Coraciiformes | Accipitriformes |
| Famille | Alcedinidae | Accipitridae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 17,0 cm (6.7 in) | 53,0 cm (20.9 in) |
| Envergure | 25,0 cm (9.8 in) | 124,0 cm (48.8 in) |
| Poids | 36,0 g (1.27 oz) | 1080,0 g (38.10 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Small fish, aquatic insects, and crustaceans. Hunts from a low perch over water, diving headfirst … | Small to medium mammals, especially voles, mice, and rabbits. Also takes birds, reptiles, and large … |
| Taille de la couvée | 3-10 | 2-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Habitats partagés
Common Kingfisher only
Aucun(e)
Common Kingfisher
Clear, slow-flowing rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds with suitable perching and nesting banks. Requires clean water with good fish populations.
Buse à queue rousse
Open country with scattered elevated perches such as trees, poles, and cliffs. Adaptable to farmland, grasslands, roadsides, and suburban areas.
Song & Call Comparison
Common Kingfisher
A sharp, penetrating 'chee' whistle given in flight, often the first indication of its presence. Short, shrill single note as it darts low over rivers. Contact call is a rippling …
Buse à queue rousse
Iconic, raspy descending scream: 'kreeeeee-ar', often used in films for all raptors. Gives short barking 'kak' notes near nest. Juveniles beg with persistent squealing whistles.
Geographic Range & Migration
Common Kingfisher
Widespread across Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Northern populations migrate south in winter.
Buse à queue rousse
North America from Alaska to Panama, including the Caribbean. One of the most common raptors in North America.
Statut de conservation
Common Kingfisher
Buse à queue rousse
How to Tell Them Apart
Common Kingfisher
Brilliant electric blue upperparts and orange underparts. Blue-green crown with darker barring. White throat patch and cheek spots. A flash of blue in flight.
Long, straight, dagger-like dark bill — orange base on the lower mandible in females
Buse à queue rousse
Variable plumage from pale to dark morphs. Most adults have rich brown upperparts, a pale breast with a dark belly band, and the characteristic rufous-red tail.
Dark hooked bill with a yellow cere
About These Birds
Common Kingfisher
The common kingfisher is a dazzling jewel of waterways, its iridescent blue plumage caused by light refraction in the feather structure rather than pigment. These birds inspired the design of the Shinkansen bullet train in Japan — the shape of their bill was copied to reduce sonic booms when trains exit tunnels.
Buse à queue rousse
The red-tailed hawk is the most widespread and common hawk in North America. Its screaming cry is so iconic that it is often dubbed over bald eagle footage in films and television. These adaptable raptors thrive in human-altered landscapes and are a familiar sight perched along highways.