BioKIDS - Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species, Megaceryle.
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The typical kingfishers (subfamily Alcedininae) are river dwellers, like the belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon), the only widespread North American species. This handsome crested bird flies off over the water when disturbed, uttering a loud rattling call.
Stocky and large-headed with a shaggy crest. Bill is long, straight, thick, and pointed. Powder blue above with white underparts and blue breast band. Females have additional rusty band across belly. Almost always solitary, perched along edges of streams, lakes, and estuaries. Flies along rivers and shorelines giving loud rattling calls. Hunts for fish by plunging headfirst into the water.
The Belted Kingfisher, one of the most widespread landbirds in North America, remains poorly studied. Throughout the continent, it inhabits diverse aquatic habitats where it typically perches over clear open water before plunge-diving for prey-chiefly fish, but also other aquatic animals such as crayfish.
Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species. CyberTracker Tools; ChangeThinking; Animal Diversity Web;. Pictures Specimens Sounds Classification Additional information: Find belted kingfisher information at Encyclopedia of Life; belted kingfisher. Encyclopedia of Life; belted kingfisher. Megaceryle alcyon. Kingdom Animalia animal kingdom. Animalia.
Response: This is an adult male belted kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon. This piscivorous bird is identified by its large head with stiff crest plumage, its characteristically long and heavy black.
Kingfishers breed in their first year, and pair-formation usually starts in February. If the male and the female have neighbouring territories, these may merge for the breeding season. Both birds excavate the nest burrow into the stone-free sandy soil of a low stream bank, usually about 0.5m from.
Kingfisher The kingfisher is a small to medium sized colourful bird generally found close to water.There are nearly 100 different species of the kingfisher bird found around the world. Kingfishers live both in wetlands and woodlands worldwide, feeding mainly on fish but also insects, frogs and crayfish with those kingfisher species that live in the woodlands occasionally eating reptiles.
The Belted Kingfisher is often first noticed by its wild rattling call as it flies over rivers or lakes. It may be seen perched on a high snag, or hovering on rapidly beating wings, then plunging headfirst into the water to grab a fish. Found almost throughout North America at one season or another, it is the only member of its family to be seen in most areas north of Mexico.
With its top-heavy physique, energetic flight, and piercing rattle, the Belted Kingfisher seems to have an air of self-importance as it patrols up and down rivers and shorelines. It nests in burrows along earthen banks and feeds almost entirely on aquatic prey, diving to catch fish and crayfish with its heavy, straight bill. These ragged-crested birds are a powdery blue-gray; males have one.
Vote for Belted kingfisher in Canada's National Bird Project. This large-headed bird has a long, pointed black bill, short legs and a square-tipped tail. Its distinct crest is bushy, and blue-grey above a white collar, while its body is the same dark blue with white spots on the tail and wings. It breeds across much of Canada, most often sighted around lakes, rivers and saltwater estuaries.
The belted kingfisher is a migratory species, wintering in the southern parts of its breeding range, or in Central America and the Caribbean. The green kingfisher (Chloroceryle americana) occurs only in south Texas and Arizona, and more widely in Mexico.
The order Coraciiformes includes a diverse group of families, most with few representatives. They are mostly tropical species. The Kingfishers (Family Alcedinidae) are by far the largest group. Although our Kingfisher is a bird of lakes and streams, many species are found in forest or grassland, some far from any water source. All are colourful, though only some have the jewel-like iridescent.
