Belted Kingfisher

Overview

Belted Kingfisher: Medium kingfisher, distinct, bushy crest, white collar, and large, black dagger-like bill. Upperparts are blue-gray and underparts are white. The male has blue-gray breast band. Legs and feet are gray. Slow direct flight with erratic pattern. Hovers above water to search for prey.

Range and Habitat

Belted Kingfisher: Breeds from Alaska eastward across southern Canada and south throughout most of U.S. Spends winters on the Pacific coast north to southeastern Alaska, and throughout the south, north to the Great Lakes and along the Atlantic coast to New England. Preferred habitats include rivers, lakes, and saltwater estuaries.

INTERESTING FACTS

Belted Kingfishers have been known to share their tunnels with swallows. The swallows dig out small rooms tucked in the tunnel walls.
Human activity, such as digging gravel pits and building roads, have created banks where they can build nests and expand their breeding range.
To avoid being eaten by hawks, they will dive into the water.
A group of belted kingfishers are collectively known as a "crown" and a "rattle" of kingfishers.

The Belted Kingfisher has a range that is large, reaching up to 14 million square kilometers. The population of the Belted Kingfisher is thought to be more than 2 million individual birds. The Belted Kingfisher can be found in many countries in the Caribbean, Central America and North America. The population of the Belted Kingfisher has not significantly decreased in the last ten years. As a result, this bird has a current rating of Least Concern. The Belted Kingfisher previously had a rating of Lower Risk in 2000.