Belted Kingfisher

I recently met two friends for a quick outing to a local birding hot spot—an expansive pond, complete with fountains, on a golf course. We met mid-week, after a workday to see if, like other birders, we could catch some interesting activity on or near the water. Recent reports on a birding listserv, to which we subscribe, included sightings of an Osprey, even an eagle, so we had high expectations.

It was an overcast day and the water’s surface appeared steel gray. A few tall, thin spires of trees, long dead, rose from the water not far from the opposite shore. Scanning the quiet scene, my friend Ingrid spotted a Belted Kingfisher perched atop one of these dead trees. Even given the gray lighting and the distance, we could still tell it was a kingfisher. These fish-eating birds (hence the name) have heads that look too big for their bodies. And accentuating this big head is a nice full crest. The close-up provided (courtesy U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) nicely demonstrates these features along with the bird’s long, strong beak for fish diving. The more distant shot (courtesy of Charles H. Warren) nicely illustrates the striking white neck and belly contrasting the slate blue plumage. The female (not shown) is more grayish with rufous flanks that stretch into a bellyband. Both male and female are very striking.

The male Belted Kingfisher we watched gave an aerial show, flying from his perch and across the water, calling noisily and (might I add, indelicately) defecating as he went. Like his striking appearance, the kingfisher’s call is not easily mistaken—a loud metallic rattle, which reminded me of the old-fashioned tin noisemakers.

Needless to say, Ingrid, Patty, and I left the pond with our expectations more than met by one strikingly handsome and accommodating Belted Kingfisher.

Until next time . . . keep birds in your heart!

Georgia Anne