Belted Kingfisher
Megaceryle alcyon
Also known as: Kingfisher, Sally Benjamin, Whelkcracker
Habitat
Aquatic
Diet
VertFishScav
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
148 g
About This Species
Watch for it perched on branches, wires or posts overhanging clear rivers, lakes and coastal shallows, from which it plunge-dives for small fish, and listen for its harsh rattling call given in flight. Early morning along quiet waterways is a reliable time to find one hunting. In spring, steep earthen banks near water are worth checking for the burrow entrances it excavates to nest.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Avoid lingering near or approaching burrow entrances in riverbanks, particularly during the spring and summer nesting season, since repeated disturbance can cause adults to abandon a burrow.
- It is protected under the US Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Canada's Migratory Birds Convention Act, both of which prohibit disturbing active nests.
- Observe from a distance with binoculars and keep well clear of bank nesting sites.
LCAvesCoraciiformesAlcedinidae
Seasonal Activity
6,720,735 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Family
- Alcedinidae
Traits
- Diet
- VertFishScav
- Foraging
- Aquatic
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 148 g
Photo
(c) Dave Roberts, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Dave Roberts
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.