Belted Kingfisher

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Belted Kingfisher in Seattle?

Possible. About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Belted Kingfisher sighting in Seattle on a given day, based on 16,491 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 33rd most-seen of the 271 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see a Belted Kingfisher in Seattle?

August to November. In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Belted Kingfisher in Seattle on a given day, against about 10% in April to June, the lowest months.

Q: What time of day is best to see a Belted Kingfisher?

Between 9 am and noon. Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Belted Kingfisher sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Q: Is Seattle the best place to see a Belted Kingfisher?

2nd of 39. Of the 39 cities where we can rate Belted Kingfisher sightings, Seattle ranks 2nd at about 20%. The best odds are in Sacramento (United States, about 30%).

Q: Where does the Belted Kingfisher sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records. It is estimated from how often the Belted Kingfisher is recorded against all the birds logged in Seattle (16,491 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

Megaceryle alcyon

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderCoraciiformes (Rollers, Kingfishers, and Allies)
FamilyAlcedinidae (Kingfishers)
GenusMegaceryle (Large Crested Kingfishers)
SpeciesMegaceryle alcyon (Belted Kingfisher)

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

at Seattle

In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%

16,491 Verified sightings at Seattle

30,086 In all 81 parks From 2019 to 2026

September Best month

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Belted Kingfisher

The belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) is a large, conspicuous water kingfisher, native to North America. The belted kingfisher received its scientific name from Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae. The current genus Megaceryle was erected by German naturalist Johann Jakob Kaup in 1848. Megaceryle is from the Ancient Greek megas, "great", and the existing genus Ceryle. The specific name alcyon is Latin for "kingfisher".

The Megaceryle large green kingfishers were formerly placed in Ceryle with the pied kingfisher, but the latter is closer to the Chloroceryle American green kingfishers. The belted kingfisher's closest living relative is the ringed kingfisher (M. torquata), and these two in all probability originated from an African Megaceryle, which colonized the Americas.

The belted kingfisher is a stocky, medium-sized bird that measures from 28–35 cm (11–14 in) in length with a wingspan from 48–58 cm (19–23 in). It can weigh from 113... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Call0:13

United States · 2025

Song0:15

United States · 2020

Call0:45

United States · 2024

Global Distribution

Where it is recorded most Our parks where it lives Our cities where it livesIn captivity: 4 zoos & centres

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge	🇺🇸 United States	~50%
2	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	~50%
3	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	~50%
4	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~40%
5	Katmai National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
6	Great Bear Rainforest	🇨🇦 Canada	~40%
7	Pacific Rim National Park Reserve	🇨🇦 Canada	~30%
8	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
9	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~30%
10	Channel Islands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
11	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
12	Isla del Coco National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
13	Riding Mountain National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
14	Olympic National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
15	Wood Buffalo National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
16	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
17	Isle Royale National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
18	Los Haitises National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	~20%
19	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	~20%
20	Glacier National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
21	Voyageurs National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
22	Redwood National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
23	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
24	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~10%
25	Cape Breton Highlands National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
26	Congaree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
27	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
28	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
29	Great Smoky Mountains National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
30	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
31	Gros Morne National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
32	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
33	Grand Teton National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
34	Wrangell-St. Elias National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
35	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
36	Jasper National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
37	Yellowstone National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
38	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
39	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
40	Denali National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
41	Rocky Mountain National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
42	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
43	Banff National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
44	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
45	Death Valley National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
46	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
47	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
48	Coiba National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
49	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
50	Big Bend National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
51	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
52	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
53	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
54	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
55	Padre Island National Seashore	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
56	Kenai Fjords National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
57	Kluane National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
58	Yosemite National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
59	Grand Canyon National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
60	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
61	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
62	Elk Island National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
63	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
64	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
65	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
66	Main Ridge Forest Reserve	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	<5%
67	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	<5%
68	Zion National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
69	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	<5%
70	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	<5%
71	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
72	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
73	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
74	Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
75	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
76	Cumbres de Monterrey National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
77	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
78	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
79	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
80	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
81	Los Quetzales National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%

Cities Where Found

#	City	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Sacramento	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
2	Seattle	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
3	Denver	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
4	Washington	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
5	Toronto	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
6	Portland	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
7	Miami	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
8	Los Angeles	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
9	Orlando	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
10	Calgary	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	Wildlife Prairie Park East Side	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
2	Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center and Woods Garden	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
3	Montreal Biodome	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
4	Snake Discovery: A Reptile Experience	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity

Closest Relatives at Seattle

No species of the same family or order lives in Seattle, so these are its closest relatives here: other birds.

Corvus brachyrhynchos

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely

Melospiza melodia

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Poecile atricapillus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Junco hyemalis

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Turdus migratorius

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Calypte anna

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Pipilo maculatus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Haemorhous mexicanus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Colaptes auratus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Anas platyrhynchos

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Thryomanes bewickii

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Poecile rufescens

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Belted Kingfisher in Seattle?

Possible

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Belted Kingfisher sighting in Seattle on a given day, based on 16,491 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 33rd most-seen of the 271 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Belted Kingfisher in Seattle?

August to November

In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Belted Kingfisher in Seattle on a given day, against about 10% in April to June, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Belted Kingfisher?

Between 9 am and noon

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Belted Kingfisher sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Seattle the best place to see a Belted Kingfisher?

2nd of 39

Of the 39 cities where we can rate Belted Kingfisher sightings, Seattle ranks 2nd at about 20%. The best odds are in Sacramento (United States, about 30%).

Where does the Belted Kingfisher sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Belted Kingfisher is recorded against all the birds logged in Seattle (16,491 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

← Back to Seattle

Belted Kingfisher

About the Belted Kingfisher

Sounds

Recent sightings of Belted Kingfisher in Seattle

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Seattle

American Crow

Song Sparrow

Black-capped Chickadee

Dark-eyed Junco

American Robin

Anna's Hummingbird

Spotted Towhee

House Finch

Northern Flicker

Mallard

Bewick's Wren

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Belted Kingfisher in Seattle?

When is the best time to see a Belted Kingfisher in Seattle?

What time of day is best to see a Belted Kingfisher?

Is Seattle the best place to see a Belted Kingfisher?

Where does the Belted Kingfisher sighting chance come from?