Northwest Territories · Year-round resident

Belted Kingfishers in Northwest Territories

When kingfishers are present in Northwest Territories, when they nest, which native Northwest Territories plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canada 0a–1a yard.

Kingfishers (Alcedinidae)Belted KingfisherMegaceryle alcyon

Status in Northwest Territories: Year-round resident
Nesting window: April–June
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: Canada 0a–1a

When to expect kingfishers in Northwest Territories

Belted Kingfishers live in Northwest Territories all year. Extremely cold, dark winters. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.

Subarctic boreal forest in the south, Arctic tundra in the north.

Nesting in Northwest Territories

Across Northwest Territories, kingfishers typically nest from April–June. Plan around that window: March for setup, June for clean-out.

Brief summers with midnight sun.

Belted Kingfishers don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as paper birch, chokecherry, balsam fir for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.

Native Northwest Territories plants that attract kingfishers

Of the regional native plants we track for Northwest Territories, these 7 provide food or cover kingfishers use:

Paper birch

Betula papyrifera · Tree

Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana · Shrub

Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

Balsam fir

Abies balsamea · Tree

Spruce-budworm habitat and dense winter roosting cover.

White spruce

Picea glauca · Tree

Cone crops drive winter irruptions of finches and crossbills.

Tamarack

Larix laricina · Tree

Deciduous conifer with small cones for siskins and redpolls.

Willow (Bebb)

Salix bebbiana · Shrub

Early catkins draw insects for arriving warblers and hummingbirds.

Dwarf birch

Betula glandulosa · Shrub

Catkin seed for redpolls on the tundra.

Feeding kingfishers through the Northwest Territories year

Top foods: None — needs open water with small fish.
In Northwest Territories's winter: Extremely cold, dark winters.

Full diet breakdown for kingfishers · Best feeder for kingfishers

Frequently asked

Are kingfishers in Northwest Territories year-round?

Yes. Belted Kingfishers are year-round residents in Northwest Territories.

When do kingfishers nest in Northwest Territories?

Nesting in Northwest Territories typically runs April–June, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 5–8 eggs, incubated for 22–24 days.

What native plants attract kingfishers in Northwest Territories?

Paper birch, Chokecherry, Balsam fir, White spruce, Tamarack, Willow (Bebb), Dwarf birch are native plants in Northwest Territories that provide food or cover for kingfishers.

Other backyard birds in Northwest Territories

Black-capped Chickadee Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Red-winged Blackbird Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow Canada Jay White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Varied Thrush American Crow Common Raven Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Mallard Great Blue Heron Brown-headed Cowbird Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Winter Wren Pine Grosbeak Red Crossbill Western Tanager Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Black-and-white Warbler Ovenbird Orange-crowned Warbler Palm Warbler Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo Least Flycatcher Cliff Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper Osprey Bald Eagle Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Black-backed Woodpecker American Three-toed Woodpecker Savannah Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Harris's Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Common Redpoll Hoary Redpoll White-winged Crossbill Bohemian Waxwing Rusty Blackbird Rock Pigeon

Sources

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.