Belted Kingfisher vs Red-crowned Crane
Megaceryle alcyon compared with Grus japonensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Belted Kingfisher | Red-crowned Crane |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Megaceryle alcyon | Grus japonensis |
| Order | Coraciiformes | Gruiformes |
| Family | Alcedinidae | Gruidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Endangered |
| Length | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) | 150.0 cm (59.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 53.0 cm (20.9 in) | 250.0 cm (98.4 in) |
| Weight | 150.0 g (5.29 oz) | 8900.0 g (313.94 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily small fish caught by plunge-diving from a perch or hover. Also takes crayfish, frogs, … | Omnivorous — fish, amphibians, insects, grasses, and waste grain. Forages in wetlands and agricultural fields. |
| Clutch Size | 6-7 | 2 |
| 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.
Red-crowned Crane
Freshwater marshes, bogs, and wet grasslands for breeding. Winters in coastal mudflats, estuaries, and rice paddies.
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.
Red-crowned Crane
Spectacular unison 'bugling' call: a clear, resonant, far-carrying trumpet 'kru-ru-ru' given by paired birds simultaneously. Among the most majestic bird calls in Asia.
Geographic Range & Migration
Belted Kingfisher
North America from Alaska and Canada to Central America and the Caribbean. Northern populations migrate south in winter.
Red-crowned Crane
Eastern Asia — breeds in northeastern China, southeastern Russia, and Hokkaido, Japan. Winters in Korea and eastern China.
Conservation Status
Belted Kingfisher
Red-crowned Crane
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
Red-crowned Crane
White body plumage with black secondary flight feathers and throat. Bare red crown patch. Black face and neck. One of the most elegant crane species.
Long, straight, olive-green 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.
Red-crowned Crane
The red-crowned crane is one of the rarest crane species and a potent symbol of longevity and fidelity in East Asian culture. Their elaborate unison call and dancing displays have inspired art and folklore for millennia. The resident population on Hokkaido, Japan, recovered from about 33 birds in 1952 to over 1,800 today.