Accessibility and Access Keys [0]
If I could only observe one family of birds in the world, it would be the Kingfisher family. These birds are located throughout the world and are quite dynamic in their flight, and their ability to hover and dive for food. They come in all sizes and colours. I have observed these birds in Canada, Europe, southeast United States, along the Nile River in Egypt, and in China, which has the world’s largest Kingfisher.
In our area, the only Kingfisher is the Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) where it is commonly located along freshwater bodies.
Both the male and female Belted Kingfisher have blue-grey underparts, a blue grey band across its chest, a white collar, dark eyes and a long thick black bill. The male tends to have a larger head and a tufted crest. The Belted Kingfisher is one of the few North American birds where the female is more colourful than the male. In addition, to all of the above, the female has a chestnut band across her belly and down her sides and flanks.
This Kingfisher is a solitary bird, except during breeding season.
It is normally found perched on its favourite hunting limb along a river or lake. To catch food, it can be seen plunging headfirst into the water anywhere from 20 feet high or more. It eats small fish, small amphibians, reptiles, insects, crustaceans and mollusks.
The Belted Kingfisher is a solitary nester and is not found in colonies. Both the male and female dig burrows in fresh water riverbanks 3-7 feet deep. Some of these burrows have been found to be 15 feet deep. It is in these burrows that the Kingfishers nest and raise their young.
The Belted Kingfisher has one or two broods per year. The eggs of the Kingfisher are incubated by both sexes for 23-24 days. The young remain in the nest for another 27-29 days and are fed by both parents.
The Belted Kingfisher is located all across North America, except in the Mexican Border area, which is the domain of the Green Kingfisher. During the winter, the Belted Kingfisher migrates to Southern Florida and Mexico. It is sad to note that these dynamic birds are on the decline in North America due to water pollution and loss of habitat.
Elsewhere on the local scene, the unusual snowy and wet weather has slowed the spring migration, but not stopped it. There are still more new birds arriving every day and the most recent ones include Sandhill Cranes, Eastern Bluebirds, American Bitterns, Cormorants, Fox and Song Sparrows. The poor weather conditions have also brought down several migrating flocks of Dark-eyed Juncos into our area.
On April 9, John Meadows of Westmeath sent me some excellent Eastern Bluebird pictures of birds he spotted along Rapids Road.
On April 10, Brenda Termarsh of Petawawa informed me that she has 12 Robins in her Crabapple Tree, as well as Blue Jays, Goldfinches, Chickadees, Tree Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos at her feeder.
On this same date, George Hodgkinson of Laurentian Valley had a magnificent Northern Goshawk in his yard. These birds, like the Sharp-shinned Hawk, like to scout out our feeders at this time of the year.
Around this same period, Ken Brown, also of Laurentian Valley, was pleased to have a Pileated Woodpecker in his yard. There have been several sightings of these birds this spring!
On April 12, Ann Walsh of Pembroke observed a lone Snow Goose among a small flock of Canada Geese on the Ottawa River near Supple’s Landing. Every year, we get a few reports of these interesting geese!
On April 14, Bea Doran of Supple’s Landing in Pembroke provided the area’s first spring report of Double-crested Cormorants. There were five sitting on the rocks behind her residence.
Finally, on this same date, Don Gutzman of Petawawa heard the area’s first spring call of an American Bittern at the Petawawa Terrace area.
Please call me with your sightings at 735-4430 or e-mail me at: hooles@nrtco.net.
The Daily Observer=