Kingfisher found in Lerwick
A kingfisher made a rare appearance to Lerwick yesterday - dazzling with its breath-taking bright colours.
The rare blue and orange bird was spotted at the Clickimin Loch yesterday (Wednesday).
Kingfishers are considered extremely rare in Shetland with just over 20 records of the species in the isles - with another found at the Loch of Hellister in August 2020.
A common kingfisher is around 16–17 centimetres in length, has a wingspan of 24–26 centimetres and weighs between 34-46 grams. These birds are only slightly larger than a robin, but are twice as heavy.
Their diet mainly consists of small fish such as minnows and sticklebacks alongside acquatic invertebrates such as freshwater shrimps and dragonfly larvae. Kingfishers are also known to occasionally eat small prey such as tadpoles and newts.