Belted Kingfisher

Megaceryle alcyon (Linnaeus, 1758)

Belted Kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon, is a kingfisher of North America, breeding widely across the continent and wintering in MA and northern South America. It is the only kingfisher in much of its range. This stocky bird is closely tied to water, and its nest is a long tunnel dug into a river bank or sand bank. The female has a rufous band across the upper belly, while juveniles of both sexes show this mark too, though it is thinner in young females and mottled in young males.

Order

Coraciiformes

Family

Alcedinidae — Kingfishers

Breeding range

North America: widespread

Nonbreeding range

MA, n SA