If I am patient and persistent, I can usually end up with pretty good shots of most types of birds that I see. The Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon), however, is a notable exception—I only rarely get a clean look at a kingfisher and don’t think that I have ever gotten a close-up shot of one.
Why? Belted Kingfishers are small, fast, and extremely skittish, which makes them remarkably elusive. Most of the time my first indication that a kingfisher is in the area is when I hear its distinctive rattling call as it flies away from me. It sometimes feels like the bird is taunting me. It will often fly only a short distance away, giving me hope that I will be able to creep closer, and then it will fly away again as soon as I start to move.
I have several encounters with a Belted Kingfisher this month and was happy to get this shot recently of a female. You can tell that it is a female because of the chestnut stripe on its breast. Males have only a blue stripe—it is really unusual with bird species to have the female more colorful than the male.
Kingfishers have a very distinctive look with their stocky bodies, large heads and thick, pointed bills. I always enjoy seeing photos of kingfishers from other parts of the world, including the brilliant blue Eurasian Kingfisher, a species that I hope to see in person in the future, when it becomes safe enough to travel internationally again.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 