By Dan Potts, Salt Lake County Fish & Game Association
Jordan River Commission Technical Advisory Committee
They’re back in town again!
The kingfishers I mean.
The belted kingfisher is a relatively small but flamboyant migrant bird. It announces its presence with a loud and sometimes repeating “dry rattle” as they mostly fly over water. The appearance of males and females is just as bold as their voices, although a bit peculiar. They almost always expose themselves by perching over water to show off their conspicuous slate-blue head and breast band separated by a bright white collar. Both also have slate-blue backs and wings, and possess a shaggy crest atop their relatively large head with a heavy bill, but surprisingly small feet. Males can easily be distinguished by their bright rust-red belly band.
As their name implies, kingfishers fish for a living. They often spot their prey from a low perch over water, and plunge headfirst to usually catch smaller fish (see photo) with their large bill. They also use their strong bills to dig nest burrows two to three feet into sandy stream banks.
Although they are common all along the Jordan, and many other waters here in Utah, I almost always first hear and then see them in my neighborhood at the new Fife Wetland Preserve on the Jordan River at 900 South in Salt Lake City. Kingfishers not only provide a great opportunity to photograph a beautiful migrant bird, but are also a great bird to simply sit down and watch. Boating the Jordan is likely to give you the best chance of seeing them, however, their loud, distinct, unmistakable call can alert even Parkway Trail walkers of their presence on the river nearby. Leave the trail to spot them perched over the water and check them out!
