AaronhomeIN,

My opinion is that the king fishers don't even make a dent in your fish population. They are relatively small birds and granted it is a bit disconcerting to see them rob you of fish but the numbers just can't be significant.

Herons (cranes?) on the other hand may be more cause for concern. One heron occasionally visiting isn't a concern but several on a regular basis would be a concern to me. They do not like to be disturbed and will generally find another place to go if you harass them a bit.

The clear, undeniable top of the bird fisheating chain is the infamous water turkey. Nothing compares to their destruction (maybe pelicans can come close but they don't frequent inshore waters much). If you don't have the WT, count yourself lucky.