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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute	Cerulean Kingfisher	Belted Kingfisher
Scientific Name	Alcedo coerulescens	Megaceryle alcyon
Order	Coraciiformes	Coraciiformes
Family	Alcedinidae	Alcedinidae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern
Length	—	33.0 cm (13.0 in)
Wingspan	11.9 cm (4.7 in)	53.0 cm (20.9 in)
Weight	34.9 g (1.23 oz)	150.0 g (5.29 oz)
Diet	--	Primarily small fish caught by plunge-diving from a perch or hover. Also takes crayfish, frogs, …
Clutch Size	3-6	6-7
Population Trend	—	—

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Size Comparison

Body Length

Cerulean Kingfisher —

Belted Kingfisher 33.0 cm

Wingspan

Cerulean Kingfisher 11.9 cm

Belted Kingfisher 53.0 cm

Weight

Cerulean Kingfisher 34.9 g

Belted Kingfisher 150.0 g

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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

🏖️ Coastal 🌿 Wetland

Cerulean Kingfisher only

None

Belted Kingfisher only

None

Belted Kingfisher

Rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, estuaries, and coastlines with clear water and suitable perches. Nests in burrows dug into earthen banks.

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Song & Call Comparison

Cerulean Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

Song

A loud, rattling 'klee-klee-klee-klee' — mechanical and penetrating. Given in flight along rivers. Also a harsh 'kekekek' near nest. Far louder than Common Kingfisher.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Cerulean Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

North America from Alaska and Canada to Central America and the Caribbean. Northern populations migrate south in winter.

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Conservation Status

Least Concern

Cerulean Kingfisher

Least Concern

Belted Kingfisher

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How to Tell Them Apart

Cerulean Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

Plumage

Blue-grey upperparts with a shaggy crest and a white collar. Males have a single blue-grey breast band; females have an additional rufous belly band.

Bill

Long, heavy, straight, dark dagger-like bill

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About These Birds

Cerulean Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

The belted kingfisher is unusual in that the female is more colorful than the male, sporting an additional rufous belly band. These noisy birds announce their territory with a distinctive rattling call. They excavate nesting burrows up to 2.4 meters deep into riverbanks using their heavy bills.

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Related Comparisons

Belted Kingfisher vs European Roller

look-alike

Common Kingfisher vs Belted Kingfisher

same-family

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