Belted Kingfisher vs European Goldfinch
Megaceryle alcyon compared with Carduelis carduelis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Belted Kingfisher | European Goldfinch |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Megaceryle alcyon | Carduelis carduelis |
| Order | Coraciiformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Alcedinidae | Fringillidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) | 13.0 cm (5.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 53.0 cm (20.9 in) | 23.0 cm (9.1 in) |
| Weight | 150.0 g (5.29 oz) | 16.0 g (0.56 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily small fish caught by plunge-diving from a perch or hover. Also takes crayfish, frogs, … | Seeds, especially thistle (Carduus) and teasel seeds, extracted with its precise tweezer-like bill. Also takes … |
| Clutch Size | 6-7 | 4-6 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Belted Kingfisher only
None
European Goldfinch only
Belted Kingfisher
Rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, estuaries, and coastlines with clear water and suitable perches. Nests in burrows dug into earthen banks.
European Goldfinch
Open woodland, orchards, gardens, parks, and weedy fields with seed-bearing plants. Common at garden bird feeders.
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.
European Goldfinch
A liquid, tinkling 'swit-swit-swit' in flight and a melodic twittering song. Flocks produce a bright jingling chorus. Male song is a sweet repetitive warble incorporating the flight call.
Geographic Range & Migration
Belted Kingfisher
North America from Alaska and Canada to Central America and the Caribbean. Northern populations migrate south in winter.
European Goldfinch
Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Introduced to Australia, New Zealand, and parts of South America.
Conservation Status
Belted Kingfisher
European Goldfinch
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
European Goldfinch
Crimson red face with white cheeks and a black crown. Sandy-brown back with a bright yellow wing bar visible in flight. Black and white tail.
Slender, pointed, ivory-pink bill adapted for extracting seeds from thistles
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.
European Goldfinch
The European goldfinch is a strikingly beautiful finch whose tinkling song and colorful plumage have made it popular in art and as a caged bird for centuries. It appears frequently in Renaissance paintings as a symbol of the Passion of Christ. Flocks of goldfinches are charmingly called a charm.