Belted Kingfisher vs Emperor Penguin
Megaceryle alcyon compared with Aptenodytes forsteri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Belted Kingfisher | Emperor Penguin |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Megaceryle alcyon | Aptenodytes forsteri |
| Order | Coraciiformes | Sphenisciformes |
| Family | Alcedinidae | Spheniscidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) | 115.0 cm (45.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 53.0 cm (20.9 in) | 76.0 cm (29.9 in) |
| Weight | 150.0 g (5.29 oz) | 30000.0 g (1058.22 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily small fish caught by plunge-diving from a perch or hover. Also takes crayfish, frogs, … | Primarily Antarctic silverfish, krill, and squid. The deepest-diving bird, reaching depths over 500 meters and … |
| Clutch Size | 6-7 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Belted Kingfisher
Rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, estuaries, and coastlines with clear water and suitable perches. Nests in burrows dug into earthen banks.
Emperor Penguin
Antarctic pack ice and surrounding Southern Ocean. The only penguin species that breeds during the Antarctic winter.
Song & Call Comparison
Belted Kingfisher
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.
Emperor Penguin
Loud, resonant trumpeting calls used for individual recognition in dense colonies. Each bird's call is unique in frequency. Also gives softer contact 'braying' notes.
Geographic Range & Migration
Belted Kingfisher
North America from Alaska and Canada to Central America and the Caribbean. Northern populations migrate south in winter.
Emperor Penguin
Antarctic continent and surrounding sea ice. Breeding colonies are found along the entire Antarctic coastline.
Conservation Status
Belted Kingfisher
Emperor Penguin
How to Tell Them Apart
Belted Kingfisher
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.
Long, heavy, straight, dark dagger-like bill
Emperor Penguin
Black head, chin, and dorsal side with white belly. Bright yellow-orange ear patches fade to pale yellow on the upper breast.
Long, slightly decurved bill — black with orange or pink mandible stripe
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.
Emperor Penguin
The emperor penguin is the tallest and heaviest of all penguin species. They breed in the harshest conditions on Earth, enduring Antarctic winter temperatures of -60 C and wind speeds of 200 km/h. Males incubate the single egg on their feet under a brood pouch for about 65 days while fasting.