Kingfisher

Alcedo Atthis

February Bird

©Shantanu Kuveskar

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The Kingfisher is probably the most colourful vertebrate living in Britain, and we should count ourselves lucky that we can enjoy this bird without even leaving Cambridge.

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You do not have to go anywhere special to see Kingfishers; these bursts of colour grace any waterway with a good healthy population of small fish such as minnows. Good places to look are Hobson's Park, Cherry Hinton Brook, and Hobson's and Vicar's Brooks, particularly outside the Cambridge Botanic Garden Brookside entrance.

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However, this brightly coloured bird's future is uncertain, due to the fact that we are spiking our waterways with harmful chemicals, pesticides and sewage.  This kills the fish, so has an adverse impact on the Kingfisher.