Jim Brewster wrote:
> Saw 2 Belted Kingfisher's yesterday about 11:00 a.m. They were on the Green
> River, about a quarter mile upstream from the Meeker Street bridge. One was
> perched and got a good look at it with binoculars and it was a male. The
> other one I only saw while flying, and though I didn't see a rust colored
> band, it paired up with the perching Kingfisher and they went into some brush
> at the river's edge. The flying bird had some white cloth (or plastic?) in
> its beak, so assume it was nest building.

Last point first: Belted Kingfishers don't really "build" nests; they dig a
burrow and lay eggs in the end of it. If there's any nesting "material," it's
fish scales and bones.

Male kingfishers are known to present females with fish (courtship feeding),
but I've read nothing about them using unnatural articles as surrogate fish. I
can't offer any explanation for the cloth/plastic carrying behavior; any chance
it was a fish?

The timing is right for kingfishers to get chummy again after a winter full of
defending separate territories. Males and females tolerate each other only
during the breeding season, as a rule. I suspect these birds have wintered in
the area, rather than being returned migrants.

The female's chestnut belly band is reduced in young birds (last year's
fledglings), so it's possible you've seen such a bird. Belted Kingfishers do
breed in their first year after hatching. Incidentally, young males can also
show a minimal belly band (contrary to my previous posts to Tweeters), although
it is typically hard to see.

I hope you have a chance to re-visit this spot. Perhaps you'll discover a nest
along that stretch of the Green River. Remember that kingfishers are sensitive
to disturbance, though. Thanks for posting your news to Tweeters.
--
Scott Richardson
Olympia, Washington
salix at halcyon.com

http://www.halcyon.com/salix/swm_beki.htm