Take 5: Hail to the Kingfishers

With its loud rattling call and wild hairstyle, the belted kingfisher is an energetic fixture of our waterways. Both male and female have a blue band—the “belt”—across the breast, but only the female has a second rusty belt below it. Here are five portraits of belted kingfishers from past editions of our Photo Contest. Read more about this species’ status in our Breeding Bird Atlas 2.