2022 Memorial Day Issue

WORDS OF
A FEATHER
The Legendary
Kingfisher
by HEATHER SHIRLEY
Photos by OLEG GURVITS
“C hit-chit-chiterree-chit-chit!”
The rattling call of a kingfisher
skips over the morning and brings a smile to
my face. I look across the lagoon behind my
house and see a male belted kingfisher perched
on the branch of a cypress tree that is leaning
over the water.
The steel-blue and white bird surveys his
kingdom. He watches the surface of the pond,
then launches himself into the air, flying
straight and fast before stopping midair to
hover over some ripples in the water.
He dives in with eyes closed, barely making
a splash and spreads his wings underwater to
break his dive. Surfacing with a fish pinched
in his ample, dagger-like bill, he returns to his
perch, knocks the fish against the tree branch
to stun it, tosses it into the air then swallows it
down, head first. Belly full, he seems content to
rest for a moment, enjoying the beauty of the
surroundings and the warmth of the morning
sun.
It’s not hard to understand why these birds
have long inspired myths and legends. Ancient
Polynesians believed kingfishers controlled the
sea and waves. The ancient Greeks also told a
myth about the kingfisher.
Halcyon, the daughter of the god of the winds,
and her husband, Ceyx, the son of the morning
star, were deeply in love. Unfortunately, they
offended the gods and as punishment were put
to death. The gods relented and reincarnated
the couple as a pair of kingfishers. Their love
continued, and as kingfishers they laid a nest.
The Greeks believed kingfishers laid their
eggs on the surface of the sea only during those
rare times of year when conditions were warm
and calm. Thus, that magical and elusive time
became known as halcyon days, named for the
wind god’s ill-fated daughter. To this day, those
precious, deliciously perfect days of warmth
and calm are referred to as halcyon days, and
kingfishers continue to represent them.
There are more than 80 species of kingfishers
in the world. The smallest is the African pygmy
kingfisher, a mere 4 inches long, which dwells
in African rainforests. On the other end of the
38 LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS Memorial Day 2022
spectrum is Australia’s laughing kookaburra
which, at 19 inches, is the world’s largest
kingfisher.
In North America, we have four species:
ringed, green, Amazon and belted. The first
three are really Central American species that
are occasionally seen in southern border states
like Texas and Arizona. The belted kingfisher,
however, can be seen across most of our
continent for at least part of the year.
Belted kingfishers live in New Jersey yearround
as long as there is open water for them
to fish in during winter. Kingfishers eat many
species of small fish as well as crustaceans,
invertebrates, insects and even berries. These
birds are easily recognized by their stocky
builds, shaggy crests and large bills.
The male is two-toned, grayish blue and
white. The female is more colorful than the
male, which is rare in the avian world. She is
similarly blue and white but also has a chestnut
band across her belly and down her flanks.
Kingfishers nest not on the water’s surface, as
the ancient Greeks mistakenly believed, but in
burrows they dig into earthen banks.
Males establish a territory at the start of
breeding season and court females by feeding
them. Once paired up, they select a nest site.
They prefer a bank of earth that’s both high
enough to avoid the danger of flooding and
is clear of tree roots that would make digging
too challenging. If these ideal conditions aren’t
available, kingfishers may build nests in road
cuts, ditches or sand or gravel pits.
Using their large, strong bills and specialized
front claws, which are fused together for
added strength, both the male and female
birds excavate the nest burrow. Quite a feat of
engineering, the burrows are typically 3 to 6
feet long and slope upwards from the bank’s
edge so that any rainfall drains out.
At the end of the burrow is a nest chamber,
where the female lays five to eight eggs. After
three weeks of incubation and another month
of nestling development, the chicks finally
leave the nest.
And then, thanks to hard work by the parents
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Belted kingfisher
in flight
Belted kingfisher, female
Scan the QR code to
hear what a belted
kingfisher sounds like.
as well as the ongoing cycle of nature, the
world is blessed by having a few more belted
kingfishers.
Have you seen any yet this year? Spotted any
nest burrows? Why not go look for some along
streams, rivers, ponds or lakes that are clear and
unclouded (and therefore better for seeing prey
in the water).
Look for kingfishers on perches hanging over
the water, like bare tree branches or telephone
wires. Listen for their metallic, rattling call.
As you seek them out, bear in mind one final
legend about the kingfisher that is worth
sharing, if for no other reason than it’s my
favorite: only the righteous get to see them.
Are you worthy? Go find out. Get out there,
enjoy the halcyon days of early summer and go
birding!
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Seasonal Space Rentals
973-663-1192
Sheltered/No Wake Zone
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