# Belted Kingfisher

*Megaceryle alcyon*

Unlike many birds, the female Belted Kingfisher is more brightly colored than the male, sporting an extra rusty-colored 'belt' across her belly.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Coraciiformes › Alcedinidae › Megaceryle
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** decreasing
- **Biome:** wetland
- **Habitat:** Edges of streams, lakes, rivers, and coastal estuaries with vertical earthen banks for nesting.
- **Diet:** Carnivorous; primarily small fish, but also crayfish, aquatic insects, and occasionally small amphibians.
- **Range:** North America, Central America, Caribbean
- **Size:** 28-35 cm length, 48-58 cm wingspan
- **Lifespan:** 6-14 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Habitat destruction, water pollution reducing prey visibility, and disturbance of nesting banks by human activity.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless and shy. Belted Kingfishers will typically fly away if humans approach too closely. Observe from a distance with binoculars to avoid disrupting their hunting or nesting. If you find a grounded or injured bird, contact a local licensed wildlife rehabilitator; do not attempt to keep it as a pet.

## About

The belted kingfisher ( Megaceryle alcyon ) is a large, conspicuous water kingfisher, the only member of that group commonly found in the northern United States and Canada. It is depicted on the 1986 series Canadian $5 note. All kingfishers were formerly placed in one family, Alcedinidae, but recent research suggests that this should be divided into three subfamilies.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/8f0b5195-c3eb-47d4-bafe-32974ddbd2c1
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/2548
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megaceryle alcyon
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/104964567/medium.jpeg (chloe ⋆˚꩜｡, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.