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Kingfisher Mascot
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Meet our RiverWatch mascot - Wade Shallow - the belted kingfisher! This fun little bird is found on every river that we float and its' personality makes it a great "RiverWatcher". The kingfisher is the chosen symbol for the Alberta RiverWatch Science Program for a number of reasons:
- Kingfishers are seen along every major river in Alberta. It's always a pleasure to see and hear one during a raft trip.
- The kingfisher is the original "RiverWatcher". It perches on tree branches and is always on the lookout for the chance to dive and capture a minnow.
- Kingfishers use the entire river ecosystem much like people do. They eat fish from the river, build their homes along the riverbanks and even deposit their waste droppings into the river!
- Kingfishers are at the top of the aquatic food chain, so when they thrive, it can be viewed as an indicator of good river health. We wish the same were true of people!
- Kingfishers are involved in education as is the RiverWatch Science Program. The adult birds teach their young to dive for fish by dropping dead minnows onto the river surface.
- Finally, kingfishers sound a loud rattling alarm call when they are disturbed along a river. We think that people should also sound an alarm when things are not right with their local river!
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