Conservation status: Stable.
With its top-heavy physique, energetic flight, and piercing rattle, the Belted Kingfisher seems to have an air of self-importance as it patrols up and down rivers and shorelines. It nests in burrows along earthen banks and feeds almost entirely on aquatic prey, diving to catch fish and crayfish with its heavy, straight bill. The Belted Kingfisher is one of the few bird species in which the female is more brightly colored than the male.
Other Work From Susan Fay Schauer
