Belted Kingfisher (male)

Description:

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.

Habitat:

Freshwater marsh and lake in San Francisco

Notes:

Males can be distinguished from females in this species by the presence of a single blue band across the chest. The female will also have a large band of reddish feathers below the blue belt.