Subject: [Tweeters] has anyone observed Belted Kingfishers raising multiple broods simultaneously or multi-aged broods?
Date: Fri Aug 21 15:05:35 PDT 2020
From: Vanderhoof, Jennifer - Jennifer.Vanderhoof at kingcounty.gov

I hope to eventually share the long story of the Belted Kingfishers nesting at Dockton Park. But for now I'm seeking information. After many, many days of head scratching, I have concluded the most likely scenario to explain what I was seeing was highly ascynchronously laid eggs, such that a pair of kingfishers were raising juveniles that were a couple weeks apart in age. As if egg laying were interrupted, then brooding started, then egg laying commenced again. I saw and photographed adults with juveniles together and it appeared the adults were still looking after the fledged juveniles, and meanwhile the adults were simultaneously taking care of nestlings back at the burrow.

Everything I have seen and read would suggest this sort of behavior is highly atypical. Even if my proposed scenario is incorrect, double broods are not typical, nor would be the juveniles sticking around during the second brood if there were two, nor would the number of young in the second batch (2). So no matter what was happening, I'm pretty sure it was unusual. Looking for other stories of the kingfisher strange and unexplained.

Jen Vanderhoof, Senior Ecologist | King County Water and Land Resources Division | Ph: 206-477-4840 | jennifer.vanderhoof at kingcounty.gov<mailto:jennifer.vanderhoof at kingcounty.gov>


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