Fall’s Spunkiest Bird
by Jennifer Barbour
T
he summer sun is beginning to give up its fight,
giving way to the cooler days of fall. Children are going
back to school, the marsh grass is beginning to bloom and
family vacations at the beach are now sweet memories. For
Kiawah Island Naturalists, a sure sign of the coming fall is
the arrival of a spunky bird with a loud call.
The belted kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) is a stocky
mid-sized bird with a large head, thick bill and shaggy,
mohawk-like crest. They measure between 11-14 inches
in length, and have a wingspan between 19-23 inches.
Both male and female have a slate blue head, large white
collar, a blue band on the breast and white underneath. The
back and wings are also slate blue with black feather tips.
Females have a rusty band across the upper belly, making it
one of the few bird species to have the female more brightly
colored than the male. A distinctive, long clattering rattle
usually precedes sight of this fish-eating bird found on
sheltered waters.
They search for prey from a lookout perch on trees
or wires and can be seen hovering over the water before
plunge-diving headfirst to capture small fish. While fish
make up the majority of this bird’s diet, they also consume
aquatic invertebrates, insects and small vertebrates. They
breed along streams, rivers, lakes and estuaries across most
of Canada, Alaska and the United States. The nest of the
belted kingfisher is a long tunnel, one to eight feet long,
excavated by both parents in a riverbank or sand bank. A
slight uphill slope provides an air pocket of safety for the
chicks in the event of rising waters. The female lays five
to eight eggs and both adults incubate the eggs and feed
the young. Belted kingfisher pairs are territorial, especially
during breeding season. As waters freeze in their northern
ranges, belted kingfishers will migrate to the southern
United States, Mexico, Central America, the West Indies
and northern South America.
So while you’re out enjoying the Lowcountry’s
beautiful fall weather, look up when you hear a long
clattering sound flying overhead. Or notice the distinct
mohawk silhouette of the bird perched on a cedar snag in
the marsh. You may catch a glimpse of this spunky bird
while he’s visiting. n
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Photograph courtesy of Pamela Cohen
“The keenness of their eyes gives them
vision to spot the tiniest bit of food, and
with alacrity and precision of motion they
pick it up… Their’s is a world of instant
decisions and quick action…”