Megaceryle torquata
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
The ringed kingfisher (Megaceryle torquata) is a large, conspicuous, and noisy kingfisher bird commonly found along the lower Rio Grande Valley in southeasternmost Texas in the United States through Central America to Tierra del Fuego in South America.
Megaceryle torquata is a Neotropical kingfisher that lives in habitats ranging between the US and Mexico. In 1888, the species was first discovered in the US, while the first ringed kingfisher nest was found in 1970. They are commonly seen along the Rio Grande and in water bodies in southern Texas. Their distribution is increasing and expanding northwards.
The wings of adult males range between 184.9 and 211.1 mm (7.28 and 8.31 in), with an average of 196.3 mm (7.73 in). Their tails range from 110.0–129.0 mm (4.33–5.08 in), and their bills measure 74.9–94 mm (2.95–3.70 in). Female wings are from 185.0-210.1 mm, and their tails measure 111.5–132.1 mm (4.39–5.20 in) and possess bills measuring 75.9–90.9 mm (2.99–3.58 in). Individuals can weigh between 305 and 341 g (10.8 and 12.0 oz). Such measurements prove that the species do not differ sexually in terms of size.
Ringed kingfishers... Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salvador | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | Asuncion | 🇵🇾 Paraguay | |
| 3 | Barranquilla | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 4 | Fortaleza | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 5 | Monterrey | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 6 | Belém | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 7 | Rosario | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 8 | Rio de Janeiro | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 9 | Goiânia | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 10 | Santos | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aviario Nacional de Colombia | 🇨🇴 Colombia |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Ringed Kingfisher sighting in Ostional Wildlife Refuge on a given day, based on 118 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 51st most-seen of the 182 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February and September
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Ringed Kingfisher in Ostional Wildlife Refuge on a given day, against about 10% in July–August and October–November, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Ringed 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.
19th of 74
Of the 74 parks where we can rate Ringed Kingfisher sightings, Ostional Wildlife Refuge ranks 19th at about 20%. The best odds are in Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas (Brazil, about 80%), Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve (Ecuador, about 60%) and Anavilhanas National Park (Brazil, about 50%). All parks ranked.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Ringed Kingfisher is recorded against all the birds logged in Ostional Wildlife Refuge (118 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
