Belted Kingfisher
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. These ragged-crested birds are a powdery blue-gray; males have one blue band across the white breast, while females have a blue and a chestnut band.
This is the fastest bird I know of, and thus the hardest for me to photograph. It does not sit still for long, and it is off.
2. Male perched on a tree behind my house.
3. Another day he stopped by for one photo and he was gone.
4. Here he is perched on the top of a plastic pipe.
5. He got a fish!
6. And, my second shot was of his behind.
His little black feet tucked in to his white body.
7. From a bouncing boat, a fast bird, no wonder it is blurry! Look at those wings!
8. 9-18-2020 In flight
9. 9-18-2020 Two of the three flying around!
10. 9-18-2020 Sitting in a tree.
11. 9-18-2020 Sitting on a different branch.
12. 9-24-2020 Sitting on a branch, as you can see from the background, the kayak was bouncing.
13. Checking me out. The band has some brown in it…still a male I believe.
14. Male ready to fly.
15. A female!
16. Pretty lady!
