Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon

Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon
(aka Ceryle alcyon)

Male Belted Kingfisher, Dezadeash Lake, Yukon, Canada, June 2009 - click on image for a larger view

Dezadeash Lake, Yukon, Canada
June 2009

The Belted Kingfisher is found throughout most of North and Central America, the Caribbean and the extreme north of South America. There is some migration with populations moving south during the winter and north into Alaska and Canada during the summer.

It is found near many types of water from mountain streams to swamps but requires clear, still water for fishing and suitable banks or mounds in which to build their tunnel nests.

The male, seen here, has a bluish-grey head with a crest, a white spot in front of the eye, a broad white collar around the neck with a bluish-grey breast band. Underparts including the underwing coverts are white. The female is similar but has a rufous breast band as well as a bluish-grey one and also has rufous flanks.

There is a map showing the distribution at NatureServe and there is additional information available via Avibase.

The most common call is a loud, harsh rattle.

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