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The Belted Kingfisher is a medium-sized, stocky aquatic bird with a shaggy crest and a long, heavy bill. It is known for its distinctive rattling call and its habit of diving headfirst into water to catch fish. It is the only kingfisher species widely distributed in North America.
Size & lifespan
- Length
- 28-35 cm (11-14 in)
- Wingspan
- 48-58 cm (19-23 in)
- Weight
- 113-178 g (4.0-6.3 oz)
- Lifespan
- Typically 3-8 years in the wild, with a maximum recorded of 10 years.
- Diet
- Carnivore (primarily piscivorous)
Physical characteristics
- Plumage
- Slate blue-gray upperparts, white underparts with a broad, rusty band across the breast. A shaggy crest on the head is prominent. White collar around the neck. White spot in front of the eye. Dark flight feathers.
- Beak shape
- Long, heavy, straight, and dagger-like bill, dark gray to black in color.
- Eye color
- Dark brown.
- Leg color
- Small, weak, and dull grayish-orange legs and feet.
- Distinguishing features
- Large, shaggy crest; long, heavy, pointed bill; slate blue-gray and white plumage with a prominent breast band; distinctive rattling call.
- Juvenile appearance
- Juveniles resemble adults but have a more mottled or rusty wash on the breast band, which can sometimes appear as two bands in both sexes, similar to an adult female. The bill may also be slightly shorter and less robust.
- Seasonal changes
- No significant seasonal plumage changes; plumage remains consistent year-round.
- Sexual dimorphism
- Females are more colorful than males, possessing an additional rusty band (rufous flank band) across the lower belly/flanks, below the blue-gray breast band. Males only have the single blue-gray breast band.
How to identify
- 1
Size and Shape
Look for a medium-sized, stocky bird with a large head, shaggy crest, and a long, heavy, pointed bill. It often perches hunched over water.
- 2
Plumage
Note the slate blue-gray upperparts and white underparts. The prominent blue-gray breast band is key. Females have an additional rusty band below the blue-gray one.
- 3
Behavior
Observe its characteristic hunting style: perching patiently over water, then diving headfirst. Also, watch for its direct, rapid flight low over water.
- 4
Vocalization
Listen for its unmistakable loud, dry, rattling call, often given in flight. This is one of the most reliable identification features.
Habitat & range
- Biomes
- Temperate forests, riparian zones, wetlands, coastal areas.
- Geographic range
- Breeds across most of North America, from Alaska and Canada south through the United States and into Mexico. Winters along the coasts of North America, the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
- Elevation range
- Sea level up to approximately 2,500 meters (8,200 feet), primarily associated with water bodies.
- Preferred environments
- Clear, slow-moving or still bodies of water such as rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, estuaries, and coastal shorelines. Requires steep, earthen banks for nesting burrows and perches for hunting.
Behavior
- Activity time
- Diurnal.
- Feeding habits
- Primarily piscivorous, diving headfirst from a perch or while hovering to catch fish. Also consumes crustaceans (crayfish), insects, amphibians, small reptiles, and occasionally small mammals. Swallows prey headfirst.
- Social behavior
- Generally solitary outside of the breeding season. During breeding, pairs defend a territory. Not typically found in flocks.
- Flight pattern
- Strong, direct flight with rapid wingbeats. Often flies low over water. Can hover briefly before diving.
- Migration pattern
- Northern populations are migratory, moving south for the winter to areas where water remains unfrozen. Southern populations are resident year-round. Migration occurs individually or in loose groups.
- Territoriality
- Highly territorial, especially during the breeding season, defending nesting and foraging areas from other kingfishers and potential predators.
Song & calls
- Song
- Does not have a complex song. Its vocalizations are primarily calls.
- Call
- A loud, distinctive, dry, and rattling call, often described as a 'rattle' or 'machine-gun rattle'. It is typically given in flight, when disturbed, or when approaching a nesting site. The call is a series of sharp, rapid 'kek-kek-kek-kek' notes.
- When they vocalize
- Most vocal when flying, disturbed, or during territorial displays. Can be heard throughout the day.
Breeding & reproduction
- Breeding season
- Typically April to July, varying by latitude.
- Nesting habits
- Nests in burrows excavated into steep, earthen banks, usually near water. Both sexes participate in digging the tunnel, which can be 1-2.5 meters (3-8 feet) long, ending in an enlarged nesting chamber.
- Clutch size
- 5-8 eggs, typically 6-7.
- Egg description
- White, smooth, and glossy. Oval to elliptical in shape. Average size is about 3.4 x 2.7 cm (1.3 x 1.1 in).
- Incubation period
- 22-24 days, shared by both parents.
- Fledging period
- 27-29 days after hatching. Young are fed by both parents for several weeks after fledging.
- Parental care
- Both parents incubate the eggs and feed the nestlings and fledglings. They bring fish and other prey to the young.
Where to find
Rivers and Streams
Look along clear, slow-moving or moderately flowing rivers and streams, especially those with steep banks suitable for nesting.
Lakes and Ponds
Check the edges of freshwater lakes and ponds, particularly those with good fish populations and overhanging branches for perching.
Estuaries and Coastal Areas
In winter, they can be found in brackish water environments, including estuaries, salt marshes, and sheltered coastal bays.
Reservoirs and Canals
Man-made water bodies that support fish and have suitable perching/nesting sites are also good locations.
Field tips
- Listen for the Call. Their distinctive rattling call is often heard before the bird is seen. Learn this call to locate them.
- Scan Perches. Kingfishers often perch conspicuously on branches, wires, or snags overlooking water, waiting for prey. Use binoculars to scan these spots.
- Look for Movement. Watch for sudden dives into the water or rapid flight low over the surface. They are often solitary, so look for a single bird.
- Visit Early Morning or Late Afternoon. These times often offer better light for viewing and may coincide with more active feeding periods.
- Be Patient and Quiet. Kingfishers can be wary. Approach quietly and observe from a distance to avoid flushing them.
Similar species
Green Kingfisher
Chloroceryle americana
Much smaller (about half the size) than the Belted Kingfisher. Green Kingfishers are iridescent green above and white below with a rufous breast band in males (females have green spots on the breast). They lack the prominent crest of the Belted Kingfisher.
Ringed Kingfisher
Megaceryle torquata
Significantly larger than the Belted Kingfisher. Ringed Kingfishers have a rufous belly and breast (males have a single rufous band, females have a second white band), and a less shaggy crest. Their range is primarily south of the Belted Kingfisher's, though there is some overlap in southern Texas and Mexico.
Quick facts
- Primary Diet:
- Fish
- Nesting Site:
- Burrows in earthen banks
- Distinctive Feature:
- Shaggy crest and rattling call
- Sexual Dimorphism:
- Female has an additional rusty breast band
- Hunting Method:
- Diving headfirst into water
Fun facts
- The Belted Kingfisher is one of the few bird species where the female is more brightly colored than the male.
- They can close their nostrils and have a transparent nictitating membrane that covers their eyes when they dive, protecting them underwater.
- Kingfishers are excellent excavators, digging their nesting burrows with their bills and feet, sometimes creating tunnels several feet long.
- Their diet is so specialized that they often regurgitate pellets containing indigestible fish bones and scales, similar to owls.
- Despite their name, not all kingfishers eat fish; some species primarily consume insects or other small animals.
Scientific classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Family
- Alcedinidae
- Genus
- Megaceryle
- Species
- Megaceryle alcyon
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