Factor analysis of the linear dimensions of 92 species of kingfisher indicated that morphological differences were associated with four diet categories (aquatic, littoral, terrestrial and fossorial animals). Analysis of covariance confirmed the significance of these differences for culmen, tarsus and tail length but not for wing length. Habitat factors resulted in some significant differences but these were less easy to interpret. One case of intraspecific variation showed similar trends for culmen length.