Belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)

E570271

The belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) is a stocky, crested North American bird known for its loud rattling call and habit of diving headfirst into water to catch fish.

All labels observed (2)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (72)

Predicate Object
instanceOf bird ⓘ
kingfisher ⓘ
species ⓘ
activityPattern diurnal ⓘ
averageMass 140–170 g ⓘ
billType long heavy pointed bill ⓘ
binomialAuthority Linnaeus, 1758 ⓘ
bodyLength 28–35 cm ⓘ
breedsIn Alaska ⓘ
Canada ⓘ
Newfoundland ⓘ
United States ⓘ
class Aves ⓘ
clutchSize 5–8 eggs ⓘ
commonName belted kingfisher ⓘ
conservationThreat habitat loss along waterways ⓘ
water pollution ⓘ
crest shaggy crest on head ⓘ
diet amphibians ⓘ
crustaceans ⓘ
fish ⓘ
insects ⓘ
small vertebrates ⓘ
distribution near freshwater and coastal waters across North America ⓘ
eggColor white ⓘ
family Alcedinidae ⓘ
flightStyle rapid direct flight with stiff wingbeats ⓘ
foragingBehavior dives headfirst into water to catch prey ⓘ
hunts from perches over water ⓘ
genus Megaceryle ⓘ
habitat coastal shorelines ⓘ
estuaries ⓘ
lakes ⓘ
ponds ⓘ
rivers ⓘ
incubation both sexes incubate eggs ⓘ
IUCNStatus Least Concern ⓘ
IUCNStatusSystem IUCN 3.1 ⓘ
kingdom Animalia ⓘ
lifespanWild about 6–14 years maximum recorded ⓘ
migratoryBehavior partial migrant ⓘ
monogamy socially monogamous during breeding season ⓘ
nativeTo Canada ⓘ
Mexico ⓘ
North America ⓘ
United States ⓘ
nestSite sandbank ⓘ
vertical riverbank ⓘ
nestType burrow in earthen bank ⓘ
order Coraciiformes ⓘ
parentalCare both parents feed young ⓘ
perchingPreference exposed branches or posts over water ⓘ
phylum Chordata ⓘ
plumageColor blue breast band in both sexes ⓘ
blue-gray upperparts ⓘ
chestnut belly band in females ⓘ
white underparts ⓘ
primaryDiet fish ⓘ
rangeExpansion occasionally vagrant to Hawaii ⓘ
occasionally vagrant to western Europe ⓘ
recognizedBy blue-gray coloration with breast band ⓘ
distinct rattling call ⓘ
large head and crest ⓘ
scientificName Megaceryle alcyon ⓘ
sexualDimorphism female more brightly colored than male ⓘ
taxonRank species ⓘ
territorialBehavior defends feeding and nesting territories ⓘ
vocalization loud rattling call ⓘ
wingspan 48–58 cm ⓘ
wintersIn Caribbean ⓘ
Central America ⓘ
southern United States ⓘ

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Kingfisher → notableSpecies → Belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) ⓘ
Megaceryle alcyon → commonName → belted kingfisher ⓘ
linked to: Belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)