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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut	Shining-blue Kingfisher	Belted Kingfisher
Nom scientifique	Alcedo quadribrachys	Megaceryle alcyon
Ordre	Coraciiformes	Coraciiformes
Famille	Alcedinidae	Alcedinidae
Statut de conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern
Longueur	—	33,0 cm (13.0 in)
Envergure	15,4 cm (6.1 in)	53,0 cm (20.9 in)
Poids	34,75 g (1.23 oz)	150,0 g (5.29 oz)
Régime alimentaire	--	Primarily small fish caught by plunge-diving from a perch or hover. Also takes crayfish, frogs, …
Taille de la couvée	4-6	6-7
Population Trend	—	—

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Size Comparison

Body Length

Shining-blue Kingfisher —

Belted Kingfisher 33,0 cm

Envergure

Shining-blue Kingfisher 15,4 cm

Belted Kingfisher 53,0 cm

Poids

Shining-blue Kingfisher 34,75 g

Belted Kingfisher 150,0 g

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Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

🌿 Wetland 🏖️ Coastal

Shining-blue Kingfisher only

Aucun(e)

Belted Kingfisher only

Aucun(e)

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

Shining-blue Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

Chant

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.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Shining-blue Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

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

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Statut de conservation

Least Concern

Shining-blue Kingfisher

Least Concern

Belted Kingfisher

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How to Tell Them Apart

Shining-blue Kingfisher

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.

Bec

Long, heavy, straight, dark dagger-like bill

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About These Birds

Shining-blue Kingfisher

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.

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Related Comparisons

Belted Kingfisher vs European Roller

look-alike

Common Kingfisher vs Belted Kingfisher

same-family

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