Yukon · Year-round resident

Belted Kingfishers in Yukon

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

Kingfishers (Alcedinidae)Belted KingfisherMegaceryle alcyon

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

When to expect kingfishers in Yukon

Belted Kingfishers live in Yukon all year. Long, dark winters well below −20°F. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.

Subarctic continental with mountains, boreal forest and Arctic tundra in the north.

Nesting in Yukon

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

Short summers with nearly 24-hour daylight.

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

Native Yukon plants that attract kingfishers

Of the regional native plants we track for Yukon, these 6 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.

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 Yukon year

Top foods: None — needs open water with small fish.
In Yukon's winter: Long, dark winters well below −20°F.

Full diet breakdown for kingfishers · Best feeder for kingfishers

Frequently asked

Are kingfishers in Yukon year-round?

Yes. Belted Kingfishers are year-round residents in Yukon.

When do kingfishers nest in Yukon?

Nesting in Yukon 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 Yukon?

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

Other backyard birds in Yukon

Black-capped Chickadee Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Red-winged Blackbird Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler American Tree Sparrow Black-billed Magpie Canada Jay Mountain Chickadee Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe White-crowned Sparrow Golden-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Varied Thrush Violet-green Swallow 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 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 Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Common Redpoll Hoary Redpoll White-winged Crossbill Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch 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.