WOODPECKERS, CUCKOOS, ETC. 219 



BELTED KINGFISHER 



The Belted Kingfisher breeds from the southern United 

 States northward into Canada, wintering from Virginia and 

 Kentucky to South America. 



The birds are partial to certain ponds and creek holes, 

 and only the freezing of the water drives them farther south, 

 where they await the first spring thaw, returning as early 

 as the latter part of February. 



These saucy birds present a novel sight as they poise 

 above the water and suddenly with closed wings drop head- 

 foremost out of sight, only to appear with a minnow in the 

 strong beak. 



Probably no bird labors more persistently in construct- 

 ing a nesting site than these winged fishers. In the per- 

 pendicular side of a sand or gravel bank, they burrow hori- 

 zontally with one or two upward turns to a depth of from 

 four to six feet. Several burrows are often made, one of 

 which is used by the male as sleeping quarters. At the 

 end of the nesting burrow, a bowl-like place is scratched, 

 and into this birds disgorge countless numbers of fish bones. 

 These become bleached, and the six to nine pearly-white 

 eggs may be found resting upon this crude nest of undi- 

 gested matter. The eggs are usually laid in May and the 

 period of incubation is two weeks. Under the name of 

 halcyon, the Kingfisher was fabled by the ancients to build 

 its nest on the surface of the sea, and to have the power 

 of calming the troubled waves during its period of incuba- 

 tion; hence the phrase "halcyon days" 



