Creature Feature Encyclopedia: Aves

Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon Length: 13" (33 cm) Habitat: rivers, lakes, and saltwater estuaries

Journal Entry: 30 July
by Klint

Like herons, this bird has a sharp fishing bill. The Kingfisher hunts by plunging down from high branches to catch small fish underwater. Adult Kingfishers teach their young to fish by dropping dead meals into the water for them to retrieve. We learned the way to tell the males and females apart: the females have a rust-colored band across their white chests. We saw a female.

~Salamander Rain: A Lake and Pond Journal © 2001