Editing Kingfisher (section)

== Description ==
The smallest species of kingfisher is the [[African dwarf kingfisher]] (''Ispidina lecontei''), which averages {{cvt|10|cm|abbr=on}} in length and between {{cvt|9|and|12|g|abbr=on}} in weight.{{sfn|Fry|Fry|Harris|1992|pp=195–196}} The largest kingfisher in Africa is the [[giant kingfisher]] (''Megaceryle maxima''), which is {{cvt|42|to|46|cm}} in length and {{cvt|255|-|426|g}} in weight.{{sfn|Fry|Fry|Harris|1992|pp=231–232}} The common Australian kingfisher, known as the [[laughing kookaburra]] (''Dacelo novaeguineae''), is the heaviest species, with females reaching nearly {{convert|500|g|abbr=on}} in weight.{{sfn|Fry|Fry|Harris|1992|pp=133–136}}

The [[plumage]] of most kingfishers is bright, with green and blue being the most common colours. The brightness of the colours is neither the product of iridescence (except in the American kingfishers) or pigments but is instead caused by the structure of the feathers, which causes scattering of blue light (the [[Tyndall effect]]).<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Bancroft | first1=Wilder | last2=Chamot | first2=Emile M. | last3=Merritt | first3=Ernest | last4=Mason | first4=Clyde W. | year=1923 | title=Blue feathers | journal=The Auk | volume=40 | issue=2 | pages=275–300 | url=http://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v040n02/p0275-p0300.pdf | doi=10.2307/4073818 | jstor=4073818 | access-date=3 March 2013 | archive-date=12 July 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150712223333/http://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v040n02/p0275-p0300.pdf | url-status=live }}</ref> In most species, no overt differences between the sexes exist; when differences occur, they are quite small (less than 10%).<ref name="HBW">{{Cite book | last=Woodall | first=Peter | editor-first=Josep | editor-last=del Hoyo | editor2-first=Andrew | editor2-last=Elliott | editor3-last=Sargatal | editor3-first=Jordi | contribution=Family Alcedinidae (Kingfishers) | title=Handbook of the Birds of the World | volume=6, Mousebirds to Hornbills | year=2001 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/handbookofbirdso0001unse/page/103 103–187] | place=Barcelona | publisher=Lynx Edicions | isbn=978-84-87334-30-6 | url=https://archive.org/details/handbookofbirdso0001unse/page/103 }}</ref>

The kingfishers have long, dagger-like bills. The bill is usually longer and more compressed in species that hunt fish, and shorter and more broad in species that hunt prey off the ground. The largest and most atypical bill is that of the [[shovel-billed kookaburra]], which is used to dig through the forest floor in search of prey. They generally have short legs, although species that feed on the ground have longer tarsi. Most species have four toes, three of which are forward-pointing and fused towards the base ("syndactyl") to some extent.<ref name=":0">{{cite book |author=Austin, Oliver Luther |title=Birds of the world : a survey of the twenty-seven orders and one hundred and fifty-five families |publisher=Hamlyn |year=1962 |page=175}}</ref>

The irises of most species are dark brown. The kingfishers have excellent vision; they are capable of binocular vision and are thought in particular to have good colour vision. They have restricted movement of their eyes within the eye sockets, instead using head movements to track prey. In addition, they are capable of compensating for the refraction of water and reflection when hunting prey underwater, and are able to judge depth under water accurately. They also have nictitating membranes that cover the eyes to protect them when they hit the water; the [[pied kingfisher]] has a bony plate, which slides across the eye when it hits the water.<ref name="HBW" />