Belted Kingfishers: The rock star of the bird world

“The river is such a tranquil place, a place to sit and think of romance and the beauty of nature. Enjoy the elegance of swans and the chance of a glimpse of a kingfisher.” Jane Wilson-Howarth


Every bird watcher has a favorite two or three species. One of mine is the belted kingfisher, partly because this elegant speed demon is so elusive.

For three of four years I’ve been trying to get a close-up photo, but it’s been like catching a shadow. The belted kingfisher is so skittish and moves with such unpredictable twists and turns, he comes up mostly as a blur. But sometimes you just have to take what they give you.

My fascination with the kingfisher goes back to my first encounter at the confluence of Deep Creek and the Kootenai River, about 4 miles west of Bonners Ferry. The river and creek converge where I saw him flying along the bank and suddenly diving in the water and spearing a fish with his dagger-like beak.

Kingfishers prefer shallow water where they can spot fish from the air. They like to fly along the banks, and then perch in a tree on the water’s edge. It’s as if to taunt a bird enthusiast into thinking you might get a clear shot if you can just get a little closer. Half the time these sightings occur in mud-like or sandy areas, so this can be a muddy or sandy pursuit.

Part of the kingfisher’s appeal for me is its striking appearance. The kingfisher looks like a cross between a military officer in a crisp uniform and a surly teen-ager with spiked hair. When it spreads its wings the kingfisher looks like a rock star in his most outlandish costume.

It isn’t hard to know when a kingfisher is nearby: It cruises to a steady series of calls and complaints that telegraphs its every move.

Belted kingfishers are medium-sized, stocky birds weighing in at a hefty 4 to 6 ounces. They appear to be front-loaded with their large head and heavy black, dagger-like bill. In my opinion the females have more coloration than males, a rarity in the bird world — however, the blue tones in males is noticeably brighter. 

Both sexes have a bluish-gray head with their distinctive bushy crest, bluish-gray back and wings and black and white bars on the tail feathers. The undersides are bright white with the female showing a chestnut brown band across the breast and along the flanks. They also sport some peoples’ favorite apparel, a blue bow tie setting off a white collar; some birders refer to this as their belt. If you get a close-up look, you may see a small white dot in front of each eye.

These birds breed throughout North America near inland bodies of water or along coastlands. They excavate along banks or in sand, digging long horizontal nesting tunnels that often slope upward (thought to provide air pockets to protect young during flooding) and the nests are usually devoid of any soft nesting materials.

Parent Kingfishers drop dead fish into the water in order to teach their young to dive for food.

Belted Kingfishers mate for life and mates recognize each other by call.

Enjoy Boundary County and all its beauty.