This shorebird will catch your ear right before catching your eye—and his aquatic prey. Belted Kingfishers let you know when you’ve entered their arena with a loud, machine-like rattle that extends their body up and crest forward. You’ll see them eyeing the water carefully for prey, then diving quickly with their large bills ready to catch. Males and females have a ragged crest and powder blue-gray coloration. Males have a blue band across their white chests, and females have both a blue and a coppery chest band.

They’re often seen perching along riverbanks and shorelines where the water is clear and there is minimal vegetation. Belted Kingfishers spend most of the year alone until they pair up during the breeding season. Males (and occasionally females) establish territories, which usually conform to the shape of the stream or shoreline. Belted Kingfishers are monogamous in each breeding season but form new pairs yearly. The male feeds the female while courting her. Both members vigorously defend their territory by chasing away intruders while giving loud rattle calls.