The belted kingfisher is the large, big headed, big-billed bird sitting on a snag, looking down at the river for fish. It dives off a branch headfirst and goes all the way under water to catch a fish in its bill. Or it may hover, then dive from above. There are many species of kingfishers in the world; the blue-winged kookaburra of Australia is the largest.

The calls include a unique clattering rattle. Both the male and female dig a nesting burrow that may be as long as 10 or 12 feet into a bank. They use their partially webbed feet to push dirt out of the hole. The kingfishers have a distinctive flight: the wing beats are deep and rapid but irregular in pace. The male has a blue-gray head, back, wings and breast band. The female of the species is more colorful -- she has two breast bands, one blue-gray and one rusty red. Belted kingfishers are solitary in winter and may remain in our area as long as there is open water. Some also migrate as far south as Panama, Northern South America, and the West Indies.

Look for the belted kingfisher, the bird perfectly adapted to dig a nest burrow and go fishing, beside streams and reservoirs in the Leavenworth area. They are commonly seen in Waterfront Park and at the Fish Hatchery.