Description: Larger than robin-sized, blue-grey and white bird, with large head and heron-like bill. Bushy crest and broad grey breastband. The female has an additional rusty breastband. Voice is a loud dry rattling and an obvious indication of its presence . Hovers on rapidly beating wings or flies with dipping and uneven wingbeats.

Range: Alaska, Canada to southern US, winters to northern S. America.

Habitat: Rivers, lakes, and saltwater estuaries. Remains resident in Victoria year round and can be found along our harbour, shorelines, streams and rivers.

General: Nests in burrows along stream banks or sea cliffs. Feeds on a variety of aquatic foods such as fish, frogs and tadpoles (including the invasive American Bullfrog) and a variety of insects. The kingfisher likes to fish from a perch overhanging the water or it hovers above the water before plunging bill-first to capture its prey.

Bovey, Robin, Campbell, Wayne, and Gates, Brian. 1989. Birds of Victoria and Vicinity. Lone Pine Publishing. Edmonton, Alberta.

Peterson, Roger Tory. 1990. Peterson Field Guides: Western Birds. Houghton Mifflin Company. New York, New York.

Udvardy, Miklos D. F. 1994. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds: Western Region. Chanticlear Press, Inc. New York, New York.