Megaceryle alcyon
Streams, ponds, and coasts across most of the continent. Rarely a ground track. Look for a burrow in a dirt bank.
What does a belted kingfisher look like?
Blue-gray above, white below, with a shaggy crest and a long bill.
What do belted kingfisher tracks look like?
The sign is a nest burrow in a sandy bank, not a footprint. A bird diving from a wire over water is the usual view.
- Rarely a ground track. Look for a burrow in a dirt bank
- Shaggy blue crest if seen
- White collar
- Female has a rusty belt
- Whitewash on a perch over water
What does belted kingfisher poop look like?
Whitewash on a dead branch over the water, often with fish scales. Do not handle droppings. Several species carry parasites that stay in the soil around a latrine.
Where you find it
Streams, ponds, and coasts across most of the continent. Typical places: wetland. Year-round in much of the range. Some move south for winter.
What to do next
- Watch from a distance
- Do not approach a nest
- If a bird is injured, call a local wildlife rehabilitator
This page is a field guide, not a permit to approach wildlife. If an animal is injured, aggressive, or inside a house, call a local wildlife officer.
Animals it is confused with
- Blue jay identification
- All animal identification pages
- Identify an animal from a photo, track, or description
What does a kingfisher nest look like?
A burrow in a dirt bank near water.
How to tell a belted kingfisher from similar animals
Use the track, the dropping, and the place together. One print is not enough.
- Blue jay. A hopping songbird print, a bit larger than a sparrow. Bright blue above, white below, black necklace, and a crest.
Belted kingfisher field marks
- Rarely a ground track. Look for a burrow in a dirt bank
- Shaggy blue crest if seen
- White collar
- Female has a rusty belt
Where the sign shows up
Streams, ponds, and coasts across most of the continent. Typical places: wetland. Year-round in much of the range. Some move south for winter.
The sign is a nest burrow in a sandy bank, not a footprint. A bird diving from a wire over water is the usual view. Whitewash on a dead branch over the water, often with fish scales.
Common questions
What does a kingfisher nest look like?
A burrow in a dirt bank near water.