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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute	Belted Kingfisher	Blue-winged Kookaburra
Scientific Name	Megaceryle alcyon	Dacelo leachii
Order	Coraciiformes	Coraciiformes
Family	Alcedinidae	Alcedinidae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern
Length	33.0 cm (13.0 in)	—
Wingspan	53.0 cm (20.9 in)	39.2 cm (15.4 in)
Weight	150.0 g (5.29 oz)	309.25 g (10.91 oz)
Diet	Primarily small fish caught by plunge-diving from a perch or hover. Also takes crayfish, frogs, …	--
Clutch Size	6-7	2-3
Population Trend	—	—

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Size Comparison

Body Length

Belted Kingfisher 33.0 cm

Blue-winged Kookaburra —

Wingspan

Belted Kingfisher 53.0 cm

Blue-winged Kookaburra 39.2 cm

Weight

Belted Kingfisher 150.0 g

Blue-winged Kookaburra 309.25 g

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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

🏖️ Coastal

Belted Kingfisher only

🌿 Wetland

Blue-winged Kookaburra only

🌲 Forest

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

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.

Blue-winged Kookaburra

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Geographic Range & Migration

Belted Kingfisher

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

Blue-winged Kookaburra

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Conservation Status

Least Concern

Belted Kingfisher

Least Concern

Blue-winged Kookaburra

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How to Tell Them Apart

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

Blue-winged Kookaburra

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About These Birds

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.

Blue-winged Kookaburra

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Related Comparisons

Belted Kingfisher vs European Roller

look-alike

Common Kingfisher vs Belted Kingfisher

same-family

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