Belted kingfisher

Belted kingfisher photographed in Manitoba

A rattling call over the river is often the first clue. The kingfisher perches on a bare branch above the water, shaggy crest raised, watching for the flash of a small fish. When it spots one, it hovers for a moment and then drops headfirst into the water with barely a splash.

Kingfishers dig their nests into steep sandbanks, tunnelling a metre or more into the earth. Unusually for birds, the female is the more colourful of the pair, with a rusty band across her belly in addition to the blue-grey band that both sexes share. Most kingfishers leave Manitoba as the water freezes, but a few stay wherever there is open water and fish.

For more on the belted kingfisher and its habitat, see its species guide at All About Birds.

Here are some of my favourite frames of this bird.

Field notes in photographs

  • Belted kingfisher photographed in Manitoba, 1
  • Belted kingfisher photographed in Manitoba, 2

Belted kingfisher Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the belted kingfisher in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the belted kingfisher nests and migrates, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the belted kingfisher in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Boreal Shield, the Taiga Shield, the Hudson Plains, and the Boreal Plains (gold) and passing through the Prairies in spring and fall (lilac). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

Follow new photos

New work is shared on Facebook and Bluesky first.

Follow on FacebookFollow on Bluesky