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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute	Belted Kingfisher	Brown-winged Kingfisher
Scientific Name	Megaceryle alcyon	Pelargopsis amauroptera
Order	Coraciiformes	Coraciiformes
Family	Alcedinidae	Alcedinidae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Near Threatened
Length	33.0 cm (13.0 in)	—
Wingspan	53.0 cm (20.9 in)	27.8 cm (10.9 in)
Weight	150.0 g (5.29 oz)	162.0 g (5.71 oz)
Diet	Primarily small fish caught by plunge-diving from a perch or hover. Also takes crayfish, frogs, …	--
Clutch Size	6-7	3-4
Population Trend	—	—

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Size Comparison

Body Length

Belted Kingfisher 33.0 cm

Brown-winged Kingfisher —

Wingspan

Belted Kingfisher 53.0 cm

Brown-winged Kingfisher 27.8 cm

Weight

Belted Kingfisher 150.0 g

Brown-winged Kingfisher 162.0 g

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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

🏖️ Coastal 🌿 Wetland

Belted Kingfisher only

None

Brown-winged Kingfisher only

None

Belted Kingfisher

Rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, estuaries, and coastlines with clear water and suitable perches. Nests in burrows dug into earthen banks.

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Song & Call Comparison

Belted Kingfisher

Song

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.

Brown-winged Kingfisher

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Geographic Range & Migration

Belted Kingfisher

North America from Alaska and Canada to Central America and the Caribbean. Northern populations migrate south in winter.

Brown-winged Kingfisher

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Conservation Status

Least Concern

Belted Kingfisher

Near Threatened

Brown-winged Kingfisher

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How to Tell Them Apart

Belted Kingfisher

Plumage

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.

Bill

Long, heavy, straight, dark dagger-like bill

Brown-winged Kingfisher

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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.

Brown-winged Kingfisher

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Related Comparisons

Belted Kingfisher vs European Roller

look-alike

Common Kingfisher vs Belted Kingfisher

same-family

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