Belted Kingfisher vs Eurasian Eagle-Owl
Megaceryle alcyon compared with Bubo bubo
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Belted Kingfisher | Eurasian Eagle-Owl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Megaceryle alcyon | Bubo bubo |
| Order | Coraciiformes | Strigiformes |
| Family | Alcedinidae | Strigidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) | 68.0 cm (26.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 53.0 cm (20.9 in) | 170.0 cm (66.9 in) |
| Weight | 150.0 g (5.29 oz) | 2800.0 g (98.77 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily small fish caught by plunge-diving from a perch or hover. Also takes crayfish, frogs, … | Mammals up to the size of hares and young foxes, and birds up to the … |
| Clutch Size | 6-7 | 2-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Belted Kingfisher only
Eurasian Eagle-Owl only
Belted Kingfisher
Rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, estuaries, and coastlines with clear water and suitable perches. Nests in burrows dug into earthen banks.
Eurasian Eagle-Owl
Rocky landscapes, cliffs, gorges, and open forest across Eurasia. Increasingly found near human settlements.
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.
Eurasian Eagle-Owl
Powerful, resonant 'ooo-hu' duetting with mate across great distances at dusk. One of Europe's deepest owl calls. Also gives barking screams, hisses, and grunts at the nest.
Geographic Range & Migration
Belted Kingfisher
North America from Alaska and Canada to Central America and the Caribbean. Northern populations migrate south in winter.
Eurasian Eagle-Owl
Widespread across Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The most widely distributed eagle-owl.
Conservation Status
Belted Kingfisher
Eurasian Eagle-Owl
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
Eurasian Eagle-Owl
Tawny-brown plumage heavily mottled and streaked with black. Large prominent orange eyes and long ear tufts. Streaked breast and barred belly.
Powerful, dark grey-black hooked bill
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.
Eurasian Eagle-Owl
The Eurasian eagle-owl is one of the largest owl species in the world, with females sometimes reaching a wingspan of nearly two meters. Its deep booming call can be heard up to four kilometers away on calm nights. These apex predators sit at the top of the avian food chain, preying on other raptors including buzzards and smaller owls.