A Feathered Fisherman

Read more about Kingfishers.

       Spring brings many sports and pleasant pastimes. Among these, one of the most popular is fishing. Almost everyone enjoys this sport whether it is the boy with his willow pole and bent pin on the end of a string, fishing from a pier or up a little creek, or the man with his expensive rod and reel who travels miles for certain kinds of fish. 

       No matter what part of the world one fishes in, he generally meets a feathered fisherman, who, it must be admitted, is far more expert than he, the Kingfisher. 

       These birds are found in nearly every part of the world with the exception of very cold regions. There are over two hundred species of Kingfishers. They vary from little birds about three and one-half inches long to those attaining a length of seventeen inches. Many of them are brilliant, having the colors of the rainbow in their plumage. 

       Many legends have been written about these brilliantly-colored birds. One says that in the beginning Kingfishers were dull gray birds, and that the Kingfisher set free from Noah's Ark flew toward the setting sun. On its back was reflected the sky, while its breast was scorched by the rays from the sun. Today it still wears the colors of the evening sky. 

       The Belted Kingfisher is found in America from Alaska down to northern South America. We find it flying along the lake, over lagoons in the parks, small streams, ponds or other bodies of water which have plenty of fish. 

       This feathered fisherman does not look like any other bird. The head, back, wings and tail are bluish-gray. It has a broad bluish-gray band across its breast. Its throat and breast are white, as is the white collar about its neck. There is a white spot in front of each eye, and many small white spots on the wings and tail. A rather ragged crest tops its head and it has a long dagger-like beak. The male can be easily told from his mate. She wears a band of rufous-brown down her sides and across her breast below the gray one. 

       These dignified fishermen do not like company, so choose a certain part of a stream as their private property. If another Kingfisher comes into this territory he is driven away. 

       The Kingfishers may be seen sitting quietly alert on a dead branch over the water. From here they can see quite a distance. The minute the glint of a fish scale appears near the surface, down they dive like a flash‚ head foremost‚ into the water, sometimes going beneath the surface, and seizing the fish. Emerging from the water with the fish in the bill, they shake the spray from their plumage and with a sharp, chuckling rattle fly to a favorite perch to enjoy the meal. If the fish is small it is swallowed whole, going down head first. If it is large it is beaten against a branch until small enough to be swallowed. Sometimes while flying the bird sights a fish and then, after coming to a fluttering halt, as if to take aim, he dives into the water and secures his prey. 

       The Kingfisher does not have much faith in man. No matter how hard one tries to get close to him, when he thinks the intruder has come close enough, he drops from his perch with a loud rattle, flies on ahead and alights. This may be repeated several times until he thinks he is getting too far from home. Then he makes a wide detour and returns to the starting point. 

       Early in May he and his mate dig a long tunnel in the side of a bank or gravel pit with their sharp beaks. At the end of this round tunnel, which may be from four to twenty feet long, they make a large chamber. The female lays from five to eight pure white eggs on the bottom of this cavity.

       When the young Kingfishers hatch they are blind, naked and helpless. They grow very slowly and remain in the nest for several weeks. The parents are busy keeping these noisy, quarrelsome youngsters satisfied with food. The adults announce their coming with a series of rattles; bolt right into the hole; thrust the fish down the throat of one of the youngsters; remain half a minute; then back out; drop from the entrance; turn in the air and with a parting rattle are off for more fish.

       Watch for this feathered fisherman this spring. You are almost sure to see him when you go to the parks or to the river for a picnic. Pearsall.

Kingfisher: Death From Above