A Female Kingfisher Flies at El Rio

Nov. 19, 2024: A special wintering bird in southern Arizona

Belted Kingfishers arrive in Southern Arizona during the winter and they can be  found around area bodies of water with fish.  At El Rio Preserve, this female was perched in a tamarisk, or salt cedar, tree one morning.  Belted Kingfishers have a blue/gray "belt" across their breast.  The female Belted Kingfishers also have a rusty band across their breast below the blue belt.

Belted Kingfishers are often heard before they are seen.  Often when Belted Kingfishers fly, they make a loud "rattling" call.  Today's email shows a series of photos of the Kingfisher flying from one perch to another.  To get a sense of how they sound, play this recording while scrolling through the photos:  https://xeno-canto.org/628808 

This first series of photos shows the first wingbeats of the Belted Kingfisher.  You may note the curved branch that the Kingfisher was perched on in each of these shots.

Belted Kingfishers have a large head and a big bill, giving it a unique shape.  They are very strong flyers.

As it moved across the salt cedar tree, listen to this Birdnot piece, recorded during the springtime breeding season:  https://tinyurl.com/m2tduy6

In flight, you can see white spotting on the upper wings.

The Kingfisher has finally moved past its original perch spot.  You can also see white spotting on the Kingfisher's tail.

While the wing feathers are blue/gray on top, they are mostly white underneath.  The rusty belt is visible and the rust color covers her flanks as well.

I had thought this bird was going to make a hunting run across the water but she just moved to a spot on another nearby tree.  From there, it looked like she was going to seek food.  You can listen to her sound one more time:  https://xeno-canto.org/600420

The range map for Belted Kingfishers clearly shows their unique range.  The purple shows where Belted Kingfishers can be found year-round. During the summer breeding season, many Belted KIngfishers move up north into much of Canada and Alaska.  Southern Arizona is part of the 'cool blue' winter home for some of these special birds.