Belted Kingfisher vs Pohnpei Kingfisher

Megaceryle alcyon compared with Todiramphus reichenbachii

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Belted Kingfisher Pohnpei Kingfisher
Scientific Name Megaceryle alcyon Todiramphus reichenbachii
Order Coraciiformes Coraciiformes
Family Alcedinidae Alcedinidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Vulnerable
Length 33.0 cm (13.0 in)
Wingspan 53.0 cm (20.9 in) 19.3 cm (7.6 in)
Weight 150.0 g (5.29 oz) 64.25 g (2.27 oz)
Diet Primarily small fish caught by plunge-diving from a perch or hover. Also takes crayfish, frogs, … --
Clutch Size 6-7 2
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Size Comparison

Body Length
Belted Kingfisher 33.0 cm
Pohnpei Kingfisher
Wingspan
Belted Kingfisher 53.0 cm
Pohnpei Kingfisher 19.3 cm
Weight
Belted Kingfisher 150.0 g
Pohnpei Kingfisher 64.25 g
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

None

Belted Kingfisher only

Pohnpei Kingfisher only

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 ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

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.

Pohnpei Kingfisher

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Geographic Range & Migration ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Geographic Range & Migration

Belted Kingfisher

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

Pohnpei Kingfisher

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Belted Kingfisher

Vulnerable

Pohnpei Kingfisher

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

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

Pohnpei Kingfisher

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

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.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Related Comparisons

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family