The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 28 April 2012
  • Updates planned: 2

Kingfishers

"...there appeared above the reeds an old battered hat with a tall crown and a long blue feather stuck in the band."
The first appearance of Tom Bombadil
The Fellowship of the Ring I 6
The Old Forest

Brilliantly coloured birds with distinctive blue and red-orange plumage that live by catching fish from streams and rivers, and nest in tunnels dug into riverbanks. They certainly lived in the Shire, or at least on its borders; Tom Bombadil encountered one,1 and from it he acquired the bright blue feather that he was wearing in his hat when he met Frodo Baggins and his companions (Tom had previously worn a swan feather in his hat band).

Kingfishers in Middle-earth were presumably as widespread as they are today, but apart from Tom's feather, they are only referred to on one other occasion. On seeing the dark shape of Gollum diving into a pool beneath Henneth Annûn, one of Faramir's first thoughts was that he might be a black kingfisher from Mirkwood, though it remains unclear whether such birds actually existed.


Notes

1

In the poem "Bombadil Goes Boating", in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.

See also...

Tom Bombadil

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 28 April 2012
  • Updates planned: 2

For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page.

Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 2012. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.

Website services kindly sponsored by Axiom Discovery aptitude and skill testing.
Personality is one part of understanding a candidate's suitability for a role, but aptitude can also be crucial.
The Encyclopedia of Arda
The Encyclopedia of Arda
Menu
Homepage Search Latest Entries and Updates Random Entry