Habitat Selection by Breeding Belted Kingfishers (Ceryle alcyon)

Belted kingfishers (Ceryle alcyon) have specific habitat requirements for breeding. Locations of breeding territories were strongly influenced by the availability of high, vertical nesting banks composed of more than 75 7% sand and less than 7 7 clay. The availability of riffles as foraging sites was also important, but breeding birds generally expanded their territory size to obtain sufficient food after nests were established. Differences in population density of kingfishers along streams in Pennsylvania and Ohio appear to be caused by differences in the number of suitable foraging sites rather than availability of nest sites.