{"id":89925,"date":"2021-06-05T06:09:36","date_gmt":"2021-06-05T12:09:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=89925"},"modified":"2026-02-03T13:18:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T19:18:20","slug":"male-belted-kingfisher-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/06\/05\/male-belted-kingfisher-photos\/","title":{"rendered":"Male Belted Kingfisher Photos"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"MaleMale Belted Kingfisher with prey for his chicks? \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Today I am sharing four male Belted Kingfisher photos that I have taken this spring in the Wasatch Mountains starting with one that I took yesterday morning. The male Belted Kingfisher was only visible to me for a few minutes yesterday.<\/p>\n

When the male kingfisher flew in he landed in a distant tree and he seemed to have had fishing on his mind. He dove into the water, came up with a fish, and then landed on a metal post across the creek.<\/p>\n

At that time I fully expected him to swallow the fish whole. He didn’t, instead he flew off with the fish in his bill.<\/p>\n

I then wondered if he was taking the prey to his chicks but after researching Belted Kingfisher behavior it also may be likely that he was taking the fish to his mate while she was incubating or brooding in their burrow.<\/p>\n

\"BeltedBelted Kingfisher male in front of yellow wildflowers \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I haven’t yet seen a female Belted Kingfisher at this location this spring. I have seen at least two males. Four days ago I was able to photograph this male in front of yellow wildflowers in bloom. The wildflowers were across the creek and the male kingfisher was on my side of it.\u00a0 He didn’t stay on this perch long.<\/p>\n

\"MaleMale Belted Kingfisher perched on a favorite branch \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The male Belted Kingfisher flew up to a branch at the top of a willow that was even closer to where I sat in a mobile blind. I’ve seen and photographed him on this willow branch before. It may be his new favorite perch for this breeding season. That high up in the willow he may have a wider view of the creek below to spot prey.<\/p>\n

The little knot and dent in the branch in front of the kingfisher’s tiny right foot is the reason I know that I have photographed him on this branch before.<\/p>\n

\"SpringSpring male Belted Kingfisher on a favored perch \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

In this photo of the Belted Kingfisher male taken on May 13th the little knot and dent in the branch are seen next to the kingfisher’s right foot too. One morning the male Belted Kingfisher took off from the top of the willow before I could see him and I suspect he may have been on that same branch before the sound of the engine startled him enough for him to take flight.<\/p>\n

I hope to see and photograph the female of this pair of Belted Kingfishers<\/span><\/a> and their chicks sometime soon.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Belted Kingfisher photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today I am sharing four male Belted Kingfisher photos that I have taken this spring in the Wasatch Mountains starting with one that I took yesterday morning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":168453,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[500,27,1731,26,773],"tags":[4004,2432,4897,3940,3843,11861,4432,4934,4933,4062,3008,6613,4069,1549,4104,4106,165,5063],"class_list":["post-89925","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-belted-kingfishers","category-avian","category-summit-county-utah","category-utah","category-wasatch-mountains","tag-adult","tag-belted-kingfisher","tag-branch","tag-canyon","tag-creek","tag-favored","tag-fish","tag-kingfisher","tag-kingfishers","tag-male","tag-megaceryle-alcyon","tag-metal-post","tag-mountains","tag-perch","tag-perched","tag-prey","tag-spring","tag-yellow-wildflowers"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/belted-kingfisher-mountains-mia-mcpherson-2232.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-nop","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":71524,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/07\/04\/adult-male-belted-kingfisher-with-his-freshly-caught-fish\/","url_meta":{"origin":89925,"position":0},"title":"Adult Male Belted Kingfisher With His Freshly Caught Fish","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 4, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The male Belted Kingfisher had been perched and without warning dove into the water, caught a fish, returned to his perch, and ate it all within close proximity to where I sat in my Jeep.","rel":"","context":"In "Belted Kingfishers"","block_context":{"text":"Belted Kingfishers","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/kingfishers\/belted-kingfishers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Belted Kingfisher male with a small fish, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/belted-kingfisher-male-with-fish-mia-mcpherson-4265.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/belted-kingfisher-male-with-fish-mia-mcpherson-4265.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 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Kingfishers","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/kingfishers\/belted-kingfishers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Belted Kingfisher with a fish in his bill, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/belted-kingfisher-male-with-fish-mia-mcpherson-7156.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/belted-kingfisher-male-with-fish-mia-mcpherson-7156.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/belted-kingfisher-male-with-fish-mia-mcpherson-7156.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/belted-kingfisher-male-with-fish-mia-mcpherson-7156.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 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McPherson","date":"June 19, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"It is always a thrill when birds fly in close to me and that is what happened yesterday with a handsome male Belted Kingfisher.","rel":"","context":"In "Belted Kingfishers"","block_context":{"text":"Belted Kingfishers","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/kingfishers\/belted-kingfishers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Belted Kingfisher close up, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/belted-kingfisher-male-mia-mcpherson-7262.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/belted-kingfisher-male-mia-mcpherson-7262.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/belted-kingfisher-male-mia-mcpherson-7262.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/belted-kingfisher-male-mia-mcpherson-7262.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":87271,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/05\/10\/male-belted-kingfisher-and-pussy-willows\/","url_meta":{"origin":89925,"position":4},"title":"Male Belted Kingfisher And Pussy Willows","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 10, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Saturday morning I was delighted when a male Belted Kingfisher flew in and perched in front of pussy willow catkins high in the Wasatch Mountains.","rel":"","context":"In "Belted Kingfishers"","block_context":{"text":"Belted Kingfishers","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/kingfishers\/belted-kingfishers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Belted Kingfisher in front of pussy willows, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, 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Wasatch Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 25, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I spent yesterday morning high up in the Wasatch Mountains where part of the time I focused on photographing the Belted Kingfishers that I found in two counties.","rel":"","context":"In "Belted Kingfishers"","block_context":{"text":"Belted Kingfishers","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/kingfishers\/belted-kingfishers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Belted Kingfisher male in flight, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/belted-kingfisher-male-flight-mia-mcpherson-6607.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/belted-kingfisher-male-flight-mia-mcpherson-6607.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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