Belted Kingfisher vs Banded Kingfisher
Megaceryle alcyon compared with Lacedo pulchella
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Belted Kingfisher | Banded Kingfisher |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Megaceryle alcyon | Lacedo pulchella |
| 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) | 16.4 cm (6.5 in) |
| Weight | 150.0 g (5.29 oz) | 47.525 g (1.68 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily small fish caught by plunge-diving from a perch or hover. Also takes crayfish, frogs, … | -- |
| Clutch Size | 6-7 | 2-5 |
| 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.
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.
Banded Kingfisher
Geographic Range & Migration
Belted Kingfisher
North America from Alaska and Canada to Central America and the Caribbean. Northern populations migrate south in winter.
Banded Kingfisher
Conservation Status
Belted Kingfisher
Banded Kingfisher
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
Banded Kingfisher
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.
Banded Kingfisher
The Banded Kingfisher is a strikingly colored kingfisher of the family Alcedinidae found in lowland forests of Southeast Asia. Weighing about 47.5g with a wingspan of 16.4cm, males display brilliant blue and rufous banding while females are barred brown. Unlike many kingfishers, it typically hunts insects and lizards rather than fish.