Day 129: Belted Kingfisher

Today's bird is awesome because its our namesake - the Belted Kingfisher! It's one of the most widespread birds in North America and can be found in diverse aquatic habitats where it likes to perch over open water before diving for food (usually fish).

The Belted Kingfisher exhibits reverse sexual dimorphism, with the female more brightly colored than the male (funny, that's usually how our Fisher family works as well!). This species has a large crest and a long, heavy bill. Both sexes have a slate blue head, large white collar, a large blue band on the breast, and white underparts. The female has a reddish band across the upper belly.