Belted Kingfisher

Species Details

With its strong bill, bushy double crest, and loud, dry, machine-gun like rattle, this year round resident can often be seen perched or flying over the water. They eat exclusively fish, and they hunt by hovering and then diving straight into the water, often positioning the sun at their backs in order to reduce their visibility to their prey. Unlike most birds, the females are the more brightly colored sex, displaying a chestnut belly strike lacking in males.

Photo by Graham Gerdeman