KINGFISHERS 



FAMILY ALCEDINID.E: KINGFISHERS 



Belted kingfisher, Ceryle alcyon. 

 ■^^^ 13.00 



Distribution: North America and north- 

 em South America. Breeds from north- 

 western Alaska, and northern Quebec and 

 Newfoundland, south to the southern border 

 of the United States. Wintering on the Pacific 

 Coast from British Columbia southwards. 



The kingfishers are cosmopolitan in their 

 distribution, the center of their abundance 

 lying in the Malay Peninsula. Nearly two 

 hundred species are known, only about a 

 dozen of which are found in the western 

 hemisphere. They are divided into two 

 general groups, those that are found in the 

 vicinity of water and catch fish by plunging 

 in after them, and those that live in the 

 woods or desert places and feed on insects 

 and small animal life. 



The water loving species dig their nesting 

 burrows in the banks of ponds or streams, 

 while the wood dwelling group nest in natural 

 cavities in trees. 



The belted kingfisher is one of our best 



known birds and is generally distributed in 



suitable localities throughout its range, 



though seldom common anywhere. AI- 



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