Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) Michael J. Hamas Berrien Co., MI July, 2009 © Matt Hysell This species sponsored by Michael McGraw (Click to view a comparison of Atlas I to II) The Belted Kingfisher is widely distributed throughout most of North America where it is a common summer residents in the LP and UP. denizen of diverse aquatic habitats, both Kingfishers have continued to be widely freshwater and marine. Owing to its solitary and distributed throughout Michigan exhibiting rather reclusive behavior, the Belted Kingfisher Possible or Confirmed breeding in every county remains an obscure species that has not been of the state during both MBBA I and MBBA II. adequately studied in much of its range. In Michigan, kingfishers are familiar breeding Breeding Biology residents in both the LP and UP where they Although a few kingfishers may spend the typically nest along shorelines of lakes, rivers, winter in Michigan, migrants begin arriving in and streams. Easily identified by its distinct April. Males generally arrive before females mechanical rattle or characteristic hovering and establish territories in suitable habitat where flight, the Belted Kingfisher is truly a “king of excavation of a subterranean nesting burrow is fishers” plunging head first into water and undertaken by the pair during courtship (Hamas emerging with prey in its bill. While kingfishers 1994). Finding kingfishers during the breeding are technically landbirds, their diet consists of season can require some effort because the birds mostly aquatic animals, identifying them as are likely to be limited by the availability of ideal organisms for investigating the effects of suitable nesting habitat which is not always in environmental contaminants. riparian habitat. During egg-laying and incubation (May – June), activity near the Distribution burrow is limited, and the presence of First documented in Michigan by Kneeland kingfishers may be overlooked, especially if the (1857), kingfishers were subsequently regarded nest is some distance from water. as “universally distributed”, although nowhere Consequently, documentation of confirmed abundant in the state (Barrows 1912). Wood breeding may be diminished. Active burrows (1951) noted that kingfishers were are easily identified by furrows that are formed by the feet of adults as they enter or leave the nest. After hatching, both adults can be seen or heard making recurring trips to the burrow with fish for nearly four weeks before the young © 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) Michael J. Hamas fledge. With few exceptions, a single brood is focused on foraging ecology, factors associated raised annually (Hamas 1994). with nesting habitat, and responses to environmental contaminants (Kelly et al. 2009). Abundance and Population Trends (Click to view trends from the BBS) Literature Citations Partners in Flight estimates the global Archer, R., and S.T.A. Timmermans. 2007. population of Belted Kingfishers at Belted Kingfisher. In Cadman, M.D., D.A. 2,200,000 birds (PIF 2007). While little is Sutherland, G.G. Beck, D. Lepage, and A.R. known of primary sources of mortality for Courier (eds.). 2007. Atlas of the Breeding kingfishers, shoreline development could Birds of Ontario, 2001-2005. Bird Studies disproportionately affect the resilience of Canada, Environment Canada, Ontario Field riparian populations despite high nestling Naturalists, Ontario Ministry of Natural survival (Kelly et al. 2009). In the UP, Resources, and Ontario Nature, Toronto, confirmed breeding and overall percent Ontario. breeding evidence for kingfishers remained Barrows, W.B. 1912. Michigan Bird Life. East nearly the same in MBBA I and MBBA II, but Lansing, Michigan Agricultural College in lower Michigan, percent breeding dropped Special Bulletin. substantially, particularly in the SLP. Downes, C.M., B.T. Collins, and M. Damus. Observations of confirmed breeding in the SLP 2005. Canadian bird trends website. during MBBA II were less than 50% of Version 2.1. Canadian Wildlife Service, confirmed breeding in the SLP during MBBA I. Environment Canada, Gatineau. Available In neighboring Ontario, the probability of online at: <http://www.cws- observing kingfishers also decreased in the scf.ec.gc.ca/mgbc/trends/default_e.cfm>. second atlas throughout most of the province Hamas, M.J. 1994. Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle (Archer and Timmermans 2007). BBS trend alcyon). In The Birds of North America, No. data indicate a significant annual decline since 84 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). The Birds of 1968 in Ontario and in Canada as a whole North America Inc., Philadelphia, PA. (Downes et al. 2005). Kelly, J. F., E.S. Bridge and M.J. Hamas. 2009. Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon), In Conservation Needs The Birds of North America Online (A. While the Belted Kingfisher has not been Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of included on the watch lists of birds identified by Ornithology the National Audubon Society or the American <http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/08 Bird Conservancy, the species’ long-term 4>. decline in Michigan (Sauer et al. 2008) and in Kneeland, S. 1857. On the birds of Keweenaw neighboring Ontario (Archer and Timmermans Point, Lake Superior. Proceedings of the 2007) suggests that breeding populations need Boston Society of Natural History 6:231- additional monitoring. Ontario Partners in Flight 241. (2005) has identified threats and management Ontario Partners in Flight. 2005. Ontario issues as well as conservation actions that may Landbird Conservation Plan: Lower Great assist in restoring historic kingfisher Lakes/ Saint Lawrence Plain. (North populations. The same considerations would American Bird Conservation Region 13). likely apply to Michigan, particularly in SLP Priorities, Objectives, and Recommended where land use and development have increased Actions. Environment Canada/Ministry of dramatically during the past decade (USEPA Natural Resources. 2008). Recent research on kingfishers has © 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) Michael J. Hamas Partners in Flight (PIF). 2007. PIF Landbird Population Estimates Database [web application]. Version 2004. Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. <http://www.rmbo.org/pif_db/laped/default. aspx>. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). 2008. Land use change in southeast Michigan. Available online at: <http://www.epa.gov/med/grosseile_site/ind icators/landuse.html>. Wood, N.A. 1951. The Birds of Michigan. Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Miscellaneous Publication No. 75. © 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center .