# Belted Kingfisher (*Megaceryle alcyon*) The Belted Kingfisher is a magnificent bird with a striking blue and white coloration. It loves to dive from perches into water to catch fish for its meals. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 40 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas - **Also known as:** American Kingfisher ![Belted Kingfisher](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426676/objects/5900.jpg) ## Appearance The Belted Kingfisher has a shaggy crest and striking blue-gray plumage on its back and head. Its white belly features a broad, rusty band in females and a single blue-gray band in males, making them easy to differentiate. They possess a long, sturdy, dagger-like bill. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Coraciiformes - **Family:** Alcedinidae - **Genus:** Megaceryle ## Interesting facts - Kingfisher chicks are born naked and blind inside their dark, underground tunnels. - Their strong, spiky crest feathers can be raised and lowered, showing how they feel! - These birds fly with a distinctive undulating, wavy pattern across the water! - They often whack larger fish against a branch multiple times before swallowing them whole! ## Special abilities - **Precision Diver:** Belted Kingfishers can plunge headfirst from heights into water, using their strong, pointed beak to snatch fish. - **Burrow Engineer:** These birds dig long nesting tunnels, sometimes over six feet deep, into earthen banks using their bill and feet. - **Acrobatic Hunter:** The Belted Kingfisher can hover in mid-air above water, allowing it to precisely target fish before a rapid dive. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 28-35 cm - **Wingspan:** 48-58 cm - **Weight:** 0.14-0.17 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-8 years - **Speed:** 45 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 5-8 - **Incubation:** 22-24 days - **Migration Distance:** 4000 km ## Diet & Feeding Mainly eats fish, but also enjoys insects and small aquatic creatures. - **Age differences:** Young chicks are fed regurgitated, partially digested fish by their parents. - **Primary Foods:** small fish, crayfish, aquatic insects, frogs, lizards - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Three-spined stickleback (*Gasterosteus aculeatus*) — A common small fish preyed upon in freshwater habitats. - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — Predators of adult kingfishers or their young, especially at night. - **Eaten by:** [American Mink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-mink) (*Neovison vison*) — Mammalian predator that may raid kingfisher nests in burrows. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Tool Use](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tool-use): This trait describes organisms that manipulate external objects to achieve a specific goal. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching Belted Kingfishers from a safe distance to avoid disturbing them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Belted Kingfisher? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Belted Kingfisher? 28-35 cm ### What is Belted Kingfisher's wingspan? 48-58 cm ### How much does Belted Kingfisher weigh? 0.14-0.17 kg ### How long does Belted Kingfisher live? 3-8 years ### How fast can Belted Kingfisher move? 45 km/h ### What does Belted Kingfisher eat? Mainly eats fish, but also enjoys insects and small aquatic creatures. ### Where is Belted Kingfisher usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Brooks River Archeological District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brooks-river-archeological-district) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [East Potomac Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-potomac-park) — District of Columbia, US · Park - [Fort Payne Boom Town Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-payne-boom-town-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Grist Mill Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/grist-mill-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [Jackson Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jackson-street-historic-district) — Louisiana, US · Historic District - [Kirk Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kirk-park) — Virginia, US · Park [View all places to see Belted Kingfisher](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/belted-kingfisher) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Belted Kingfisher: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/belted-kingfisher)