Belted Kingfisher vs Golden Eagle
Megaceryle alcyon compared with Aquila chrysaetos
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Belted Kingfisher | Golden Eagle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Megaceryle alcyon | Aquila chrysaetos |
| Order | Coraciiformes | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Alcedinidae | Accipitridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) | 81.0 cm (31.9 in) |
| Wingspan | 53.0 cm (20.9 in) | 212.0 cm (83.5 in) |
| Weight | 150.0 g (5.29 oz) | 4050.0 g (142.86 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily small fish caught by plunge-diving from a perch or hover. Also takes crayfish, frogs, … | Mammals including rabbits, hares, ground squirrels, and marmots. Also takes birds, reptiles, and carrion. Hunts … |
| Clutch Size | 6-7 | 1-3 |
| 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.
Golden Eagle
Open and semi-open country including mountains, hills, and tundra. Prefers areas with cliffs or large trees for nesting and open terrain for hunting.
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.
Golden Eagle
Mostly silent; emits a thin, high-pitched whistle 'kee-kee-kee' near the eyrie. Also gives low barking 'yak-yak' and mewing calls. Far less vocal than its size suggests.
Geographic Range & Migration
Belted Kingfisher
North America from Alaska and Canada to Central America and the Caribbean. Northern populations migrate south in winter.
Golden Eagle
Holarctic distribution across North America, Europe, North Africa, and Asia. The most widely distributed eagle species.
Conservation Status
Belted Kingfisher
Golden Eagle
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
Golden Eagle
Dark brown overall with a golden-bronze sheen on the nape and crown. Juveniles show distinct white patches at the base of the tail and in the wings.
Dark horn-colored hooked bill with a yellow cere
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.
Golden Eagle
The golden eagle is one of the most powerful and agile raptors in the Northern Hemisphere. Revered by many cultures, it has been used in falconry for centuries, particularly by Kazakh eagle hunters of Central Asia. Golden eagles can dive at speeds exceeding 240 km/h when pursuing prey.