Belted Kingfisher

The Belted Kingfisher is a sharp, compact bird often seen perched near rivers, lakes, or coastal waters, scanning for fish. With its shaggy crest, slate-blue back, and rattling call, it's easy to spot or hear even before it darts out over the water. It hovers briefly before plunging headfirst to snatch prey just below the surface. Unusually for a bird species, the female is more brightly marked than the male, with an additional chestnut band across her belly. Belted Kingfishers nest in burrows they dig into earthen banks, sometimes several feet deep, making them one of the few North American birds to excavate their own tunnel-like nests. Solitary and territorial, they’re a dynamic presence along waterways throughout much of North America.