Kingfishers and Allies

The Coraciiformes include a wide variety of mainly colourful birds that eat insects and fish. They share unique physical traits, such as feet where three toes pointing forward are partly joined together. This group includes kingfishers, bee-eaters, rollers, hoopoes and hornbills, most of which have strong beaks suited to catching their food. These birds usually nest in holes, often digging burrows in riverbanks or using tree cavities. They live on every continent except Antarctica, with the most types found in tropical and subtropical areas. Some species visit Britain during the summer or appear by chance. Most birds in this group defend their territory and make loud calls. Many have bright feathers in shades of blue, green and reddish-brown. Their flying styles differ, from the fast, straight wingbeats of kingfishers to the smooth, wave-like flight of hoopoes. Bee-eaters and rollers perform impressive aerial manoeuvres while flying.