Kingfisher

1. Kingfisher Matthew Thomayer

2. Kingfisher Trivia • How many species of Kingfishers are found in the United States? • Which Kingfisher can be found in this part of the country? • How many people have actually seen a kingfisher in this area?

3. Belted Kingfisher • Physical Description: 13" (33 cm). A pigeon-sized bird, blue-gray above, white below, with bushy crest, dagger-like bill. Male has blue-gray breast band; female similar, but also has chestnut belly band.

4. Interesting Facts • The Belted Kingfisher is one of the few bird species in which the female is more brightly colored than the male. • Human activity, such as road building and digging gravel pits, has created banks where kingfishers can nest and allowed the expansion of the breeding range. • They may hover and plunge vertically from heights of up to 50 feet into the water, occasionally disappearing completely for a few seconds. They catch most fish within two feet of the surface. To stop the dive, they spread their wings under water.

5. Belted Kingfisher Continued • Range: Breeds from Alaska eastward across southern Canada and south throughout most of United States. Winters on Pacific Coast north to southeastern Alaska, and throughout South north to Great Lakes and along Atlantic Coast to New England. • Nesting: The belted kingfisher prefers its breeding habitat to be wetland-open water. They burrow a tunnel up to 8’ long in a sand of gravel bank. The belted kingfisher has a clutch of 5-8 white eggs and incubates them for 23 to 24 days. The belted kingfisher can only have one clutch a year. • Habitat: The belted kingfisher is commonly found along rivers, ponds, lakes, and bays.

6. Diet • While searching for fish, the Belted Kingfisher will perch on a limb over a river or lake. On sighting a fish it flies from its post and hover over the water before plunging after its prey. • In addition, it may eat crabs, crayfish, salamanders, lizards, mice, and insects. • Often a kingfisher patrols a regular section along a stream or lakeshore, stopping at favorite exposed perches along the way.

7. Ringed Kingfisher • Physical Description:  13" (33 cm). Pigeon-sized. Similar to Belted Kingfisher but larger, and with more chestnut on belly. Bushy crest and large, dagger-shaped bill. Blue-gray above, chestnut below with white collar. Female similar, but has gray band across upper breast. • Range: Resident from extreme southern Texas to southern South America.

8. Ringed Kingfisher (con’t) • The Ringed Kingfisher is the largest of the three species of kingfishers in the United States, where it is found only on the lower Rio Grande in Texas. • Its habits are like those of the Belted Kingfisher (Tree-lined rivers, streams, and lakes). • The Ringed Kingfisher lays a clutch of 2 to 6 eggs, and will incubate them for about 34 days.

9. Green Kingfisher • Description: 8" (20 cm). Starling-sized. Dark glossy green above, white below; male has broad rufous breast band, female has green breast band. Both sexes have white collar. • Range: Resident from extreme southern Texas south into tropics. Straggles to southern Arizona and western Texas. Most common along lower Rio Grande Valley. • Habitat: Near small shady streams, rivers, ponds and lakes with heavy vegetation along the shore. Usually seen perching on branch or rock just above water's surface.

10. Green Kingfisher (con’t) • Reproduction: The Green Kingfisher produces a clutch from 3 to 6 eggs and will incubate them for 22 to 26 days. The tunnel for the eggs is dug in only sandy banks and is only 2 to 3 feet long. • Diet: Feed primarily on fish, but insects are also consumed. • Interesting Facts: The Green Kingfisher is the smallest of the three species. Also the Green Kingfisher rarely hovers while searching for food. The entrance to the tunnel is hidden, unlike the other two kingfishers.

11. Vocalizations & Videos • Belted Kingfisher • Ringed Kingfisher • Green Kingfisher • Belted Kingfisher Video

12. Other Kingfishers Pigmy Kingfisher Pygmy Kingfisher Greyhooded Kingfisher Halfcollared Kingfisher

13. Any Questions???

14. Special Thanks • Enature.com • Yahoo • Google • EKU Libraries