How long do belted kingfishers live

A white spot in front of red brown eyes. The male has a blue-gray band across the breast. One of very few species where the female has more color than the male. In this case, the female has the same blue-gray band as the male but sports a second, rust colored band across her belly.

The Belted Kingfisher always lives near water: streams, rivers, and lakes are where you're likely to find nest sites. They begin building their nest by taking turns digging a tunnel into an earthen bank near their fishing territory. Burrows are built near feeding territories and may be reused from previous season although not defended aggressively. Using their bills to dig a tunnel and their feet to push dirt and debris out behind them. The tunnel will be 3 to 7 feet long when completed and the eggs will be laid in total darkness.

The area of the nest site itself is about 10 - 12 inches in diameter and is domed. Both male and female will share in the incubation.

Incubation will last for 24 days. The young will be born without feathers and be brooded by the female, while the male feeds the young and the female. Once the chicks begin to get feathers, both male and female will feed them. The young will leave the nest about 33 to 38 days after hatching. Within 1 - 2 weeks the young will be able to feed themselves and will begin looking for their own territories. Once the birds establish their territory, they tend to be more or less confined to that location.

Outside the breeding season, territories can be from to m of the shoreline. Within their territory, a Belted kingfisher will move above the water, below the canopy, up and down the body of water, searching for food. Its wing beats can appear unmethodical at times. Potential threats such as another bird, a human, or a predator entering the territory will be boldly pursued and with the kingfisher vocalizing loudly until the threat leaves.

Belted kingfishers are carnivores piscivores : they mainly eat fish that are cm long but also eat mollusks, crustaceans, amphibians, lizards, nestlings such as quails and sparrows, small rodents, and various insects.

They also eat berries during winter. Belted kingfishers have a serial monogamous mating system, and pair forms that will work together during nesting.

The male establishes a territory during the breeding season and the female will visit it. They chase each other in flight, accompanied by loud calls. A male will give food to a female as courtship, and before copulation.

The breeding season is from April to May while the pair finishes construction of their nest, which is in an underground burrow near water. They both work together to dig the tunnel, this work lasting sometimes a few days. Chicks are born naked with pink skin and a black bill. They are fed for the first days by their parents by regurgitation of fish that has been semi-digested. Chicks fledge at about days from hatching but depend on their parents for food for another 3 weeks.

However, the population is probably decreasing in some areas as a result of both disturbance and persecution. Prior to these birds being afforded greater protection, they were shot and trapped, being perceived as a threat to commercial trout streams and fish hatcheries.

The All About Birds resource states that the global breeding population of the Belted kingfisher consists of 1. Belted Kingfisher. Megaceryle alcyon. Life Span. Photos with Belted Kingfisher. Geography Continents. North America, South America, Oceania. It grows to be between 11 and 14 inches in length with a wingspan of 19 to 33 inches. It has a shaggy crest on the top and back of its head; a short, thick bill; and short legs.

Its medium tail is square-tipped. The belted kingfisher is powder blue on top with fine, white spotting on its wings and tail. Its white underparts also feature a blue breast band. Females have a broad, rusty band on their bellies and while juveniles have irregular rusty spotting on their breast band. Belted kingfishers mainly eat small fish, including sticklebacks, mummichogs , trout and stonerollers. They will also eat crayfish, mollusks, insects, small amphibians and berries.

They hunt by plunging directly from a perch or hovering over the water, bill downward, and diving after a fish.

Hawks, mammals and snakes eat belted kingfishers.