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Mar 1, 2024 · Belted kingfishers are found near rivers, lakes, ponds, estuaries and coastlines from southern Canada through the United States and down into Central America. Kingfishers live solitary lives and are territorial. They make their homes in burrows dug into earthen banks ranging from 2-6 feet long.
- Belted Kingfisher
- Green Kingfisher
- Ringed Kingfisher
- Amazon Kingfisher
- References and Further Reading
Belted Kingfishers are the most common of all kingfisher species worldwide. They make their nests by digging into shoreline banks next to water bodies. The sit-and-wait predator looks for its prey from a perch on a branch, pier, or pylon. Making unmethodical beats with their wings, they loudly vocalize if they sense any potential threat. The bird l...
The Green Kingfisher is the smallest of the kingfishers in North America. They are dark green in color and feature disproportionately long bills. They can be found along ponds and rivers, and seen watching over creeks, perched on a branch above the water. The male Green Kingfisher can be distinguished from the female by its orange breast band, wher...
The Ringed Kingfisher is the largest kingfisher inNorth Americaand features an enormous bill and raucous calls. They are marked by a white-collar, rufous belly, and shaggy crest. They have brownish-orange breasts but males sport the color up to their neck. They nest in burrows made on banks and water bodies. They fly high and search shallow water f...
The Amazon Kingfisher is a rare visitor from southern Mexico, Central America, and Southern Mexico’s tropical forests. They have been seen in Texas.This species looks similar to the Green Kingfisher but has a heavier body. The Amazon Kingfisher is a medium-sized bird found solo or in pairs at the edges of ponds and along rivers. They have black bil...
The Sibley Guide to Birdsby David Allen Sibley – This comprehensive field guide features detailed illustrations and information on North American birds. It’s known for its accuracy and detailed artwork. National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North Americaby Jon L. Dunn and Jonathan Alderfer – Another comprehensive guide with beautiful illu...
Kingfishers breed as far north as northern Alaska and Canada, and these birds migrate south for winter. Belted Kingfishers winter throughout Mexico and Central America to northern Venezuela and Colombia. Of the populations that do migrate, males seem to travel shorter distances than females.
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 blue band across the white breast, while females have a blue and a chestnut band.
Migration & Range Maps. A few may overwinter as far north as water remains open, including southern coast of Alaska. Some from North America migrate as far south as Central America, West Indies, northern South America. Migrants may tend to follow rivers, lakeshores, coastlines.
There are four types of kingfishers in North America. The Belted Kingfisher can be found throughout the continent into Mexico excluding the northern tundra regions. The Ringed Kingfisher is the largest of the species and the Green Kingfisher and the Amazon Kingfisher, which are similar in looks but larger in size.
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Belted Kingfishers are common along streams and shorelines across North America. You’ll probably hear a loud, rattling call before you see the kingfisher. Its large head and hefty bill give it a distinctive profile as it patrols its territory, using the open space above the water as a flyway.
