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Belted Kingfisher

Ceryle alcyon ORDER: CORACIIFORMES FAMILY: ALCEDINIDAE

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

A common waterside resident throughout North America, the Belted Kingfisher is often seen hovering before it plunges headfirst into water to catch a fish. It frequently announces its presence by its loud rattling cry.

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Appearance

Kingfishers
Kingfishers
Typical Voice

Adult Description

  • Medium-sized bird.
  • Large head and shaggy crest.
  • Large, thick bill.
  • Bluish head and back.
  • White throat and collar.
  • White underneath with blue breast band.

Male Description

Belly white, without rufous band. May have rufous flanks and some reddish in blue chest band.

Female Description

Rufous flanks and band across chest below the blue band. Rufous tips to feathers in blue chest band.

Immature Description

Immature like adult, but immature male has incomplete rufous chest band.

Range Map Help

Belted Kingfisher Range Map
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Field MarksHelp

  • Female
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    Belted Kingfisher

    Female
    • Short and stocky with shaggy crest
    • Heavy, dagger-like black bill
    • Slaty blue above with white collar
    • Female shows two bands on chest, with the upper band mostly blue and the lower reddish-brown
    • © Nick Chill, San Diego, California, February 2010
  • Female
    Zoom In

    Belted Kingfisher

    Female
    • Short and stocky
    • Shaggy blue crest
    • White collar
    • Female shows two breast bands with the upper band mostly blue and the lower reddish brown
    • © rivadock4, Annapolis, Maryland, May 2011
  • Male
    Zoom In

    Belted Kingfisher

    Male
    • Short and stocky with shaggy blue crest
    • Stout black bill
    • White underparts
    • Male shows single blue breast band
    • © Ed Schneider, Nashville, Tennessee, February 2009
  • Female
    Zoom In

    Belted Kingfisher

    Female
    • Stocky with shaggy blue crest
    • Short tail
    • Dagger-like black bill
    • Female shows two breast bands, with the upper band blue and the lower reddish brown
    • © cdbtx, Lake Kayak, Monroe, Washington, January 2009
  • Female
    Zoom In

    Belted Kingfisher

    Female
    • Often perches upright on exposed snags
    • Shaggy blue crest
    • Very short legs
    • Female shows second reddish-brown band below blue breast band
    • © Cameron Rognan, Sapsucker Woods, Ithaca, New York, June 2009
  • Male in flight
    Zoom In

    Belted Kingfisher

    Male in flight
    • Short tail striped black and white
    • Prominent, dagger-like black bill
    • Male mostly white below with single blue breast band
    • © Michaela Sagatova, Dundas, Ontario, Canada, January 2011
  • Female
    Zoom In

    Belted Kingfisher

    Female
    • Shaggy blue crest
    • Sits upright on exposed perches
    • Blue back and wings
    • Upper breast band usually blue, but occasionally coppery
    • Female shows second, reddish brown band on belly
    • © Syd Phillips, Nonaville, Tennessee, June 2011
  • In flight
    Zoom In

    Belted Kingfisher

    In flight
    • Long wings and short tail
    • Thick black bill very prominent
    • Bold white patches on upper surface of wings
    • Mostly slaty blue above with white collar
    • © Joan Gellatly, Tucson, Arizona, December 2010

Similar Species

  • Adult
    Zoom In

    Blue Jay

    Adult
    • Smaller and more slender than Belted Kingfisher
    • Crest peaked, not "shaggy"
    • Thin black necklace instead of large blue breast band
    • © Gary Tyson, Tioga County, Pennsylvania, April 2009

Similar Species

  • Blue Jay is slimmer, has a more pointed crest, and a thin dark necklace instead of a broad chest band.
  • Ringed Kingfisher is similar, but is larger and has extensive rufous belly.
  • Green Kingfisher is smaller, green, not blue, and lacks the large white spot in the wing.