Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
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Belted Kingfisher

Megaceryle alcyon (Linnaeus, 1758)

148 gWeight

The belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) is a large, conspicuous water kingfisher, native to North America.

Busiest months: September–October · Most records: United States, Canada, Mexico

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Belted Kingfisher has been recorded at 1,392 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 43 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Merritt Island NWR – Black Point Wildlife DriveUnited States11,196 records
  2. Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWRUnited States10,960 records
  3. Union Bay Natural Area/Montlake FillUnited States10,078 records
More places
  1. Lake Apopka Wildlife DriveUnited States8,122 records
  2. St. Marks NWRUnited States7,399 records
  3. HUNTLEY MEADOWS PARKUnited States7,331 records
  4. Kenilworth Park and Aquatic GardensUnited States7,279 records
  5. Prospect ParkUnited States6,988 records
  6. John Heinz NWR – impoundmentUnited States6,839 records
  7. South Padre Is. – Birding and Nature CenterUnited States6,652 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United StatesCanadaMexicoBelizeBermudaCosta RicaCubaBahamas

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) is a large, conspicuous water kingfisher, native to North America.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Belted Kingfisher?

The Belted Kingfisher weighs around 148 g.

Where does the Belted Kingfisher live?

Its breeding range: North America: widespread. It is most often recorded in United States, Canada and Mexico.

When is the best time to see the Belted Kingfisher?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in September and October (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Belted Kingfisher endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Belted Kingfisher as Least Concern.

What does the Belted Kingfisher eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Belted Kingfisher in?

It belongs to the family Kingfishers (Alcedinidae), order Coraciiformes.

At a glance

Weight
148 g
Habitat
Rivers & streams
Diet
Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Partial migrant
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
159 mm
Tail
94 mm
Bill
59 mm
Tarsus
12 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

North America: widespread

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Kingfishers Alcedinidae
Genus
Megaceryle

Other birds in the genus Megaceryle

Crested KingfisherCrested KingfisherMegaceryle lugubrisGiant KingfisherGiant KingfisherMegaceryle maximaRinged KingfisherRinged KingfisherMegaceryle torquataGreen-backed KingfisherGreen-backed KingfisherActenoides monachusScaly-breasted KingfisherScaly-breasted KingfisherActenoides princepsMoustached KingfisherMoustached KingfisherActenoides bougainvilleiSpotted Wood KingfisherSpotted Wood KingfisherActenoides lindsayiBlue-capped KingfisherBlue-capped KingfisherActenoides hombroniRufous-collared KingfisherRufous-collared KingfisherActenoides concretusHook-billed KingfisherHook-billed KingfisherMelidora macrorrhina
Belted Kingfisher

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by JeffreyGammon. ↗

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