Library #28 · B Wetland · Wave 2

Belted Kingfisher

Megaceryle alcyon · Alcedinidae

Rattling call and a splashy dive — a riverside specialist.

At a glance

Size: 11–14 in
Wingspan: 19–23 in
Habitat: Rivers, lakes, coasts with clear water and banks
Diet: Fish, crayfish, amphibians

Range: North America; winters south to Central America/Caribbean

Nesting: Tunnel 3–6 ft into an earthen bank; nest chamber at the end.

Coloring pose idea: Hover then dive / perched with crest raised

Hear this bird

General call / song: Dry rattling klek-klek along the water.

Mating / display: Rattle exchanges and aerial chases during pair formation.

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Play calls on All About Birds Species overview Audubon field guide

How to know it

Shaggy crest, oversized head and bill, blue-gray above.
Male: single blue breast band; female adds a rusty belly band.
One of few birds where female is more colorful.

Behavior

Hunts by hovering or watching from a perch, then diving.
Nests in a burrow excavated in a steep bank.
Territorial along stretches of waterway.

Fun facts

Females are brighter — reverse of many bird norms.
Needs exposed banks for nesting.
Often announces itself before you see it.

Companion page for the Birds Coloring Calendar series by R. J. D. B. Fact summaries are original educational text or short paraphrases with source links. Call playback via link to All About Birds / Cornell Lab. Re-test QR codes on a phone before final print. Not affiliated with Cornell Lab or Audubon.