Information about building places for kingfishers to nest

Dig vertical banks close to the water

A suitable place is quiet, remote and hidden, so that disruptive elements have no chance to find or reach it. Moreover the chosen spot should not be situated over more then 80m away from the water.

Our banks are 1,20m to1,80m high at the vertical surface and approximately just as wide.

The minimum height should be 1,20m, otherwise predators will have no problems to dig into the bank and destroy the brood.

Because of this fact you should repair and smooth the banks each spring before the breeding period and keep them vertical.

The Mündener Eisvogel-Nistblock

If the ground doesn't consist of sandy clay (Kingfishers don't seem to like sandy or soil banks) you should try to build up a "Mündener Eisvogel-Nistblock" (look at: Ornithologische Mitteilungen 1975, M. Waldschmidt: " Der Mündener Eisvogel-Nistblock". The method is to heap a clay/lime mix on the slope. The lime makes the construction more durable.

How to build up a clay/lime-mix

1. Spread the lime (CaO or Ca(OH)₂) into the ground (dosage: 4 - 8 weight %).

2. Mix the lime into the ground - if necessary (when the ground is to dry) you have to add some water to start the chemical process

3. Compress the lime-ground mix during 4 hours after the preparation of the mix.

Commercial concrete-nests

We made bad experiences with the method of burying concrete-nests into unsuitable banks, because the Kingfishers have not accepted them. But not all Kingfisher-protectors made these experiences. So : Just try it...

You can buy the concrete-nests without any problems in the specialized trade.

The Kingfisher nesting-box

If there are no banks nowhere, you have the possibility to build up a nesting-box.

But be careful: It is very easily seen and unprotected.

You have to build up an artificial bank of wood at the river with a complete tunnel and nest hole behind.

(For more information look at: Ornithologische Mitteilungen 1985 , J. Bosselmann/H.J. Esper "Erfolgreicher Versuch mit Eisvogel-Nistkästen im Mosel-Eifel-Raum")


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