Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon Live up to two years in the wild

Belted Kingfisher

Megaceryle alcyonLive up to two years in the wild.

Identification

• Medium sized bird• Large head and shaggy

crest • Blue upperparts• Blue-grey breast band • White ring around neck• Long heavy bill• Female has rust colored

band around midsection

Range

• Breeds from Alaska across southern Canada and northern US

• It breeds from April to late August then migrates south, following waterways to hunt as it moves

Habitat• From April to August in

breeding season the Kingfisher prefers rivers, large streams, standing bodies of water

• From September to May the Kingfisher prefers open water in coastal marshes, reservoirs, and rivers

• The Kingfisher needs sandy areas to nest which is why there is a slightly different environment in the summer

Feeding

• The Kingfisher dives headfirst into water and can reach a depth of two feet before having to surface

• Eats mostly small fish, insects, small mammals, aquatic invertebrates and tadpoles

Mating

• The Belted Kingfisher lives alone most of the year except for the mating and nesting season in April to August

• The Belted Kingfisher is a monogamous bird so the pair must find each other every mating season

Nesting

• The mating pair of Belted Kingfishers dig their burrow in sandy banks using only their toes and bills

• The burrows can reach up to 6 ft long

• The pair incubates 6-7 eggs for 22-24 days

The Young

• The young will be born without feathers and the mother hatches them and the father feeds them

• Once the chicks grow feathers they are fed by both parents

• The young will leave the nest about 35 days after hatching

• In 1-2 weeks the young will be able to feed themselves and will look for territory

Voice

• The Belted Kingfisher has a fast, repetitive, cackling rattle

• A recording can be found: http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/105632

Interesting Facts

• Human activity benefit these birds by giving them more nesting area

• The Kingfisher kills its prey by pounding it on its perch

• They have been known to share their tunnels with Swallows. (The Swallows dig out small rooms tucked in tunnel walls)

To learn more about CREA please visit www.creamaine.org

Work Cited

• http://dsf.chesco.org/ccparks/lib/ccparks/creaturefeature/img_5454_belted_kingfisher.jpg

• http://pie.midco.net/dougback/kingfisher.htm• http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/wetlands/p

hotos/coastal.jpg• http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/birds/images/

GKPeck_kingfisher_nest.jpg• http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3155/25875118

52_68207b951c.jpg

• http://chestofbooks.com/animals/birds/Bird-Book/images/YOUNG-KINGFISHERS.jpg

• http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/105632• http://whatbird.wbu.com/obj/61/_/Belted_Ki

ngfisher.aspx• http://www.seattleaudubon.org/birdweb/bird

_details.aspx?id=267• Petersen, Wayne R., and Roger Burrows. Birds

of New England. [Edmonton]: Lone Pine Pub., 2004. Print.