Birds · Coraciiformes · Alcedinidae

Belted Kingfisher

Megaceryle alcyon

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The belted kingfisher is a blue-grey bird with a large head and a shaggy crest, very common on rivers and lakes throughout North America. It has a notable peculiarity: it is one of the few birds in the world in which the female is more colourful than the male, with an extra chestnut band across the belly. It digs its nest in a horizontal tunnel in an earth bank.

Weight

113 g – 178 g

Size

28 cm – 35 cm

Lifespan

15 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

OceanFreshwaterCarnivore Diurnal Solitary Bird Ocean Freshwater

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Fun facts

reproducciónIt digs a horizontal tunnel up to a metre deep into a river or lake bank to nest, rather than nesting in trees as other birds do.
The female is more colourful than the male, with an extra chestnut band across the belly: a reversal of the usual pattern found in only a handful of bird families.
It digs a tunnel of up to two metres into a bank with its bill and feet, sloping slightly upwards so that water cannot get in and droppings drain out.
It appeared on the Canadian five-dollar note during the 1980s and 1990s, one of the few common birds to have illustrated a national currency.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Rivers, lakes, estuaries and coasts with clear water and earth banks in which to dig the nest
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 23 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 6 eggs

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megaceryle_alcyon