Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon
A mid-sized bird, frequently spotted along the shores of lakes and rivers. The bird sits on a branch looking for fishes and then suddenly dives at high speed into the water to catch a fish. Also spectacular are the birds territorial fight with other Kingfishers over fishing grounds.
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Taxonomy
Aves > Coraciiformes > Alcedinidae
Names in different Languages
| German | Gürtelfischer |
| English | Belted Kingfisher |
| French | Martin-pêcheur d'Amérique |
| Spanish | Martín gigante norteamericano |
How to Identify
To identify this bird, I look at the bill which is long and strong. They are grey [females] or almost blue [males] on the back and white on the front. Females have a second band, brown in colour. The strategy to catch fishes by sitting on a branch and then suddenly dive with high speed to catch a fish is another hint.
Where When to Spot
I spotted them in Park Angrignon and Rapids Park Lachine. Although, they are frequently seen in urban parks, they remain shy and change the branch with a intense chatter if humans get too close.
| Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parc Angrignon | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Parc Nature Pointe aux Prairies | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Parc des Rapides | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
Number of times a species has been observed, identified, and recorded. A species is reported only once per visit to a park.
Photos of Belted Kingfisher
