One by one all seven kingfisher chicks fledge the nest. Watch as the male kingfisher encourages them out with the temptation of food. To get it they have to follow him out of the nest! Filmed inside an artificial kingfisher nest, this brings the story of these kingfishers almost to a close.
Chicks fledge
All seven kingfishers fledged over the course of two days. Watch the male kingfisher encourage the first three chicks out with a fish offering.
Dads big push
He arrives with the fish, but instead of giving it to the chick, he reverses back up the tunnel with it in his beak.
It works
One by one, the first three kingfishers follow him out. A rest But this kingfisher dad doesn’t let the others go hungry and by the end of the day he brings food to keep them going. The following day he is back,, however, and again patiently encourages each chick to leave the nest.
Final, reluctant chick
The last chick was possibly the most stubborn and has a long tug of war with dad for the fish. The struggle actually took a full two minutes! until finally the chick follows dad out of the tunnel and spreads its wings for the first time.
