A Perched Belted Kingfisher

British Columbia, Canada

Based on my experience, photographing Belted Kingfishers is challenging. They don't sit still for very long and their very skittish. I was fortunate to get a photo of this female Belted Kingfisher ( Megaceryle alcyon ) before it took flight. The Belted Kingfisher is one of the few bird species in which the female is more brightly coloured than the male. The female has a broad rusty band on its belly. You can find Belted Kingfishers perched along the edges of streams, lakes, and estuaries. They fly quickly up and down rivers giving their loud rattling calls.