Photographer Captures 2 Kingfishers Battling It Out Mid-Air in Ferocious Fight Over Territory

Photographer Captures 2 Kingfishers Battling It Out Mid-Air in Ferocious Fight Over Territory
Caters News
Updated:

These kingfishers look like two very angry birds—the pair were caught on camera battling it out mid-air over breeding territory.

Photographer Jonathon Rosborough, 25, from Ballymena, Northern Ireland, took the pictures along a river called Sixmile Water, in Antrim, Northern Ireland.

The pictures show two brightly colored kingfishers wresting for domination over one another in a ferocious fight.

A pair of kingfishers were caught on camera battling mid-air over breeding territory. (Caters News)
A pair of kingfishers were caught on camera battling mid-air over breeding territory. Caters News
The pictures show the two brightly colored kingfishers, beaks locked in a ferocious "dogfight." (Caters News)
The pictures show the two brightly colored kingfishers, beaks locked in a ferocious "dogfight." Caters News
Jonathon snapped the pictures during the short fight<span style="font-weight: 400;">—</span>which was caused by a battle for breeding territory along the river. (Caters News)
Jonathon snapped the pictures during the short fightwhich was caused by a battle for breeding territory along the river. Caters News

Jonathon, who also works as a microbiologist, snapped the pictures during the short fight—which was caused by a battle for breeding territory along the river.

“I was taking my six-month-old daughter out for a walk in the pram when I spotted the two birds; I always take my camera with me everywhere I go in case I spot something special,” Jonathon explained.

The battle between the two male kingfishers lasted no more than 10 seconds, he said. "At first, I thought I was watching a pair on the far river bank when all of a sudden they flew towards each other and locked bills in mid-air.

“They plummeted into the water of the river below and continued scrapping; tumbling into the water a few more times before the bird on the right claimed victory and chased his rival off upstream.”

<span style="font-weight: 400;">"At first, I thought I was watching a pair on the far river bank when all of a sudden they flew towards each other and locked bills in mid-air." (Caters News)</span>
"At first, I thought I was watching a pair on the far river bank when all of a sudden they flew towards each other and locked bills in mid-air." (Caters News)
Two male kingfishers lock beaks in a scuffle over the Sixmile Water in Antrim, Northern Ireland. (Caters News)
Two male kingfishers lock beaks in a scuffle over the Sixmile Water in Antrim, Northern Ireland. Caters News
Photographer Jonathon Rosborough, 25, from Ballymena, Northern Ireland, took the pictures along a river called Sixmile Water, in Antrim, Northern Ireland. (Caters News)
Photographer Jonathon Rosborough, 25, from Ballymena, Northern Ireland, took the pictures along a river called Sixmile Water, in Antrim, Northern Ireland. Caters News

Neither bird appeared to be badly hurt, he added. "I knew they were territorial but I didn’t realise they fought like this until I witnessed it for myself.

“I couldn’t believe it at first; luckily I had my camera on hand to document the action.

“After speaking to some other fellow wildlife photographers when I got home, they told me they had never witnessed anything like this before either!”

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.
Share your stories with us at [email protected], and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter