EASTEKN BELTED KINGFISHER 111 



Order CORACIIFORMES 

 Family ALCEDINIDAE : Kingfishers 



MEGACERYLE ALCYON ALCYON (Linnaeus) 



EASTERN BELTED KINGFISHER 



PlATES 12-14 



HABITS 



Our North American representative of the large and interesting 

 kingfisher family is not so gaudily colored as some of the foreign 

 species and is intermediate in size between the largest and the 

 smallest members of the family, but it is an interesting bird, striking 

 in appearance and voice, and unique in form. Its long, heavy bill 

 and its large head with its prominent crest, contrasting with its 

 diminutive feet and its short tail, seem entirely out of balance and 

 give it a top-heavy appearance. But its peculiar proportions and 

 structure are beautifully adapted for the life it leads ; its large beak 

 and head form an effective spearhead for use in its deep plunges, and 

 they are well built to stand the shocks of frequent diving. Unlike 

 the osprey, it does not need to use its feet in fishing; but the short 

 legs and shovellike feet are most useful in shoveling the loose soil 

 from its nesting burrows, after it has been loosened by the powerful 

 beak. 



The belted kingfisher, as a species, covers nearly all the North 

 American Continent, breeding from northern Alaska and central 

 Labrador southward to the southern border of the United States. 

 Being essentially a fish-eating bird, its haunts are naturally near 

 large or small bodies of water. It is common on the seacoast and 

 estuaries, where it may be seen perched on some stake or pier, watch- 

 ing for its prey; or along the shore of a lake or pond, its favorite 

 outlook may be the branch of a tree overhanging the water ; I believe 

 that it prefers to perch on a dead or leafless branch, where its view 

 is unobstructed. Trout brooks, especially swift and rocky mountain 

 streams, are favorite resorts, where its loud, rattling cry is often 

 lieard, as it flies up and down, patrolling its chosen fishing ground 

 and driving away any intruders of its own species; it prefers to 

 play the role of the lone fisherman. 



Courtshi'p. — Very little seems to be known about the kingfisher's 

 courtship. Laurence B. Potter says in his notes: "Sometimes I have 

 watched as many as five or six high up in the air, tumbling and 

 wheeling about, uttering their harsh rattle ; they appear to be doing 

 it merely for the joy of flying, or it may be their courtship antics." 

 Francis H. Allen writes to me: "From courting birds — a group of 



