Belted kingfisher Ceryle alcyon

Identification Tips:

• Length: 12 inches
• Large, short-legged, big-headed, big-billed bird
• Hovers over water and dives headfirst into water in pursuit of fish
• Slate blue head, with white spot near lores
• White chin, throat and neck
• Slate blue breastband
• Slate blue back and upperwing coverts with small white spots
• Slate blue tail with numerous dark and light bands

Adult male:

• Entirely white belly

Adult female:

• White underparts with reddish belly band extending down flanks

Similar species:

In the United States, only the Ringed Kingfisher of south Texas is similar. It is superficially similar but is larger and has an entirely reddish belly band.

Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.