On 25 Feb 1997, Chris Hill wrote:

>I am not aware of Kingfishers, or any other birds that excavates dirt burrows
(like Bank
>Swallows) accepting a nest box as a substitute.

There are some species that excavate dirt burrows that will readily
accept next boxes. At Southeast Farallon Island in California, Point
Reyes Bird Observatory has used nest boxes to follow Cassin's Auklets,
Rhino Auklets, and storm-petrels for many years, including some boxes
that were not placed with the greatest of care. Some Cassin's Auklet
boxes were even placed on the surface of the ground, quickly taken over
by new nesters. These species are all colonial nesters, however, so they
may be more likely to take to boxes if the boxes are placed where other
birds are nesting.

Belted Kingfishers, being solitary nesters (as far as I know), may be
less likely to move into a box, but I bet they'd show some interest if it
was well-placed at a former nest site and made to look like "home." This
should only be done by someone with a well-thought-out research project
and appropriate permits (to protect the birds and to please the
appropriate bureaucrats).

Bob Boekelheide
Sequim

Bob and Barb Boekelheide, bboek at olympus.net