Belted Kingfisher vs Red-tailed Hawk
Megaceryle alcyon compared with Buteo jamaicensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Belted Kingfisher | Red-tailed Hawk |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Megaceryle alcyon | Buteo jamaicensis |
| Order | Coraciiformes | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Alcedinidae | Accipitridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) | 53.0 cm (20.9 in) |
| Wingspan | 53.0 cm (20.9 in) | 124.0 cm (48.8 in) |
| Weight | 150.0 g (5.29 oz) | 1080.0 g (38.10 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily small fish caught by plunge-diving from a perch or hover. Also takes crayfish, frogs, … | Small to medium mammals, especially voles, mice, and rabbits. Also takes birds, reptiles, and large … |
| Clutch Size | 6-7 | 2-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Belted Kingfisher only
None
Red-tailed Hawk only
Belted Kingfisher
Rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, estuaries, and coastlines with clear water and suitable perches. Nests in burrows dug into earthen banks.
Red-tailed Hawk
Open country with scattered elevated perches such as trees, poles, and cliffs. Adaptable to farmland, grasslands, roadsides, and suburban areas.
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-tailed Hawk
Iconic, raspy descending scream: 'kreeeeee-ar', often used in films for all raptors. Gives short barking 'kak' notes near nest. Juveniles beg with persistent squealing whistles.
Geographic Range & Migration
Belted Kingfisher
North America from Alaska and Canada to Central America and the Caribbean. Northern populations migrate south in winter.
Red-tailed Hawk
North America from Alaska to Panama, including the Caribbean. One of the most common raptors in North America.
Conservation Status
Belted Kingfisher
Red-tailed Hawk
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-tailed Hawk
Variable plumage from pale to dark morphs. Most adults have rich brown upperparts, a pale breast with a dark belly band, and the characteristic rufous-red tail.
Dark 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.
Red-tailed Hawk
The red-tailed hawk is the most widespread and common hawk in North America. Its screaming cry is so iconic that it is often dubbed over bald eagle footage in films and television. These adaptable raptors thrive in human-altered landscapes and are a familiar sight perched along highways.