Belted Kingfisher —Ross Feldner

Patrolling rivers and lakes, this shaggy-crested bird with a bayonet for a bill is often heard before seen, calling out with a chattering call.

The Greek word halcyon, meaning kingfisher, is where the kingfisher gets its species name. The mythical figure Alcyon was the daughter of Aeolus, the god of wind. She and her husband angered Zeus and were drowned; other more compassionate gods then turned the devoted couple into kingfishers. Each year, Aeolus calmed the ocean winds so Alcyon could safely nest and raise her young on the surface of the sea. Although Kingfishers do not nest on the sea, the term "halcyon days" — calm days at sea in mid-winter — has also come to mean any idyllic period of peaceful calm.

Usually found near clear water which is essential for their hunting since it gives them an accurate view of their aquatic prey before they strike. Using a patient “sit-and-wait” strategy, Belted Kingfishers hunt from a perch with the best view over their feeding territory. After capturing a small creature, the kingfisher returns to its perch and subdues its meal by pounding it against a hard surface. Then it positions the prey so that it is swallowed head-first.