Belted Kingfisher

by Donna Kennedy

Title

Belted Kingfisher

Artist

Donna Kennedy

Medium

Photograph - Photographs

Description

Original Fine Art Photography by Donna Kennedy
Texture added for an artistic enhancement…
Photographed in Sun City Center, FL

I watched this male Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) dive several times into the water, so I was able to get a few shots as it flew by and out of sight.

With its top-heavy physique, energetic flight, and piercing rattle, the Belted Kingfisher seems to have an air of self-importance as it patrols up and down rivers and shorelines. It nests in burrows along earthen banks and feeds almost entirely on aquatic prey, diving to catch fish and crayfish with its heavy, straight bill. These ragged-crested birds are a powdery blue-gray; males have one blue band across the white breast, while females have a blue and a chestnut band.
Kingfishers can dive at up to 25mph and are capable of catching fish two feet below the surface of the water. They are so fast that often the only glimpse of them is a blue flash as they strike.
Their nest are located at the end of tunnels in sand banks or the banks of creeks and rivers. These tunnels which are dug by the birds generally commence two of three feet from the top of the bank about the length of a baseball bat, and extend back from six to eight feet either in a straight line or curved about the length of three baseball bats. The end is larger to form a suitable nesting place, in which five to eight eggs are laid. The eggs are shiny and pure white in color. Both adults incubate the eggs and feed the young.

Thank you to the Administrators that Featured this photo in the following Groups:
-Animal Photographs
-Phenomenal Club
-Florida-Images of the Sunshine State
-Art District
-Art For Eternity With You
-Digital Art and Photography For A Simple Imagination
-Poetic Poultry
-Pretty In Pink Blue or Purple
-The Coastal Areas of the Gulf of Mexico
-FAA Portraits-Birds
-Animals and Birds in the Wild
-Images That Excite You
-This Way Arts
-Arts Fantastic World
-Lady Photographers and Artists
-Bath and Spa Prints
-ART-It Is Good For You
-Bedroom Art Gallery
-ABC Group-B for Blue
-500 Views

Uploaded

January 1st, 2018

Statistics

Viewed 751 Times  -  Last Visitor from Ottawa, ON - Canada on 04/18/2024 at 9:00 PM

Colors

Embed

Share

Sales Sheet

Tags