Diet
What do kingfishers eat?
Fish caught by plunge-diving from a perch.
Kingfishers (Alcedinidae)Belted KingfisherMegaceryle alcyon
Spring and summer diet
- Small fish, crayfish and tadpoles
Fall and winter diet
- Fish from any ice-free water
Best feeder foods
- None — needs open water with small fish
Watches backyard ponds from an overhanging perch; a pond with small fish may hold one all winter.
Where kingfishers need winter food
Regions where kingfishers are present in the cold months:
AlabamaAlaskaAlbertaArizonaArkansasBritish ColumbiaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineManitobaMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNewfoundland and LabradorNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNorthwest TerritoriesNova ScotiaOhioOklahomaOntarioOregonPennsylvaniaPrince Edward IslandQuebecRhode IslandSaskatchewanSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingYukon
Frequently asked
What do kingfishers eat?
Fish caught by plunge-diving from a perch.
What is the best food to feed kingfishers?
None — needs open water with small fish.
What do kingfishers eat in winter?
Fish from any ice-free water.
Sources
- Belted Kingfisher — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Belted Kingfisher life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Belted Kingfisher — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
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.