Miniature Common Kingfisher Figurine on Rock

A beautifully detailed miniature of a common kingfisher perched on a small grey rock. It's painted in vivid emerald green with fine pale-blue speckles on the crown and wings, a violet-blue streak down the back, a rich orange breast and cheek patches, a cream throat and a long, dagger-like black beak. It's light enough to perch on a fingertip and lovely on a bookshelf, windowsill or desk. It's most likely a Japanese capsule-toy figure. Maker unmarked. It's in good condition.

This little bird helped redesign Japan's bullet train. Early Shinkansen made a loud boom when they burst out of tunnels, so engineer Eiji Nakatsu, a keen birdwatcher, looked to the kingfisher, which dives from air into water with barely a splash. The long nose of the 500 Series Shinkansen was modelled on the kingfisher's beak, making the train quieter, faster and more efficient.