Belted Kingfisher vs Snowy Owl
Megaceryle alcyon compared with Bubo scandiacus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Belted Kingfisher | Snowy Owl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Megaceryle alcyon | Bubo scandiacus |
| Order | Coraciiformes | Strigiformes |
| Family | Alcedinidae | Strigidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) | 63.0 cm (24.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 53.0 cm (20.9 in) | 145.0 cm (57.1 in) |
| Weight | 150.0 g (5.29 oz) | 2100.0 g (74.08 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily small fish caught by plunge-diving from a perch or hover. Also takes crayfish, frogs, … | Primarily lemmings on the breeding grounds, where a pair may consume over 1,500 per year. … |
| Clutch Size | 6-7 | 3-14 |
| 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.
Snowy Owl
Arctic tundra for breeding. Winters in open habitats resembling tundra, including prairies, airports, shorelines, and agricultural fields.
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.
Snowy Owl
Male gives a deep booming hoot 'hooooo' and a rising 'hoo-hoo' series. Also barks sharply when alarmed. Quieter than many owls; silent during long Arctic winter hunts.
Geographic Range & Migration
Belted Kingfisher
North America from Alaska and Canada to Central America and the Caribbean. Northern populations migrate south in winter.
Snowy Owl
Circumpolar Arctic for breeding. Irruptive winter movements bring birds south to the northern United States, Europe, and Asia.
Conservation Status
Belted Kingfisher
Snowy Owl
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
Snowy Owl
Adult males are almost entirely white. Females and immatures have dark brown barring and spotting. Yellow eyes and fully feathered feet.
Dark hooked bill mostly hidden by dense facial feathering
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.
Snowy Owl
The snowy owl is the heaviest North American owl and one of the most charismatic Arctic birds. Unlike most owls, it is largely diurnal, necessitated by the continuous daylight of Arctic summers. Snowy owl irruptions — periodic mass southward movements — are tied to lemming population cycles.