BirdWatching USA – September-October 2019

chosen territory, the real estate holder

will scream, spread its wings, and raise

its white eye spots, sending a strong

message to the intruder to move on.

These are rarely more than dust-ups;

the original territory holder usually

wins the day.

When breeding season rolls around,

the male picks a steep, vertical bank

clear of vegetation where the nest cavity

will be safe from predators like

raccoons, snakes, and weasels. The

nesting site is generally close to a pair’s

fishing territory. If the female approves

of the nesting site, she will mate with

the male.

The pair take turns using their

heavy bills to dig a nesting tunnel into

the banks of streams, road cuts, and

sand and gravel pits. The tunnel,

angling slightly upward, takes from a

few days to two weeks to complete and

averages 3 to 6 feet long, ending in a

chamber 8 to 12 inches across and 6 or

7 inches high. In this cave-like

environ, the pair will raise their

offspring, taking turns feeding the

young. The nestlings are ready to leave

the nest in 27 to 29 days and are fed by

both parents until they are capable of

sustained f light and capturing prey.

The f ledglings may wander or stay in

the general area.

SPECIAL NEEDS OF THE SPECIES

North American Breeding Bird

Survey data show an average

yearly population decline of

almost 2 percent for the

Belted Kingfisher due to loss

of nesting sites and

disturbance during

the breeding

season. The

PROVIDER: An adult kingfisher carrying a fish for its chicks approaches its nest hole in an earthen

bank. A female (below) preens her wing feathers.

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