Where I live Kingfishers dig a nice round hole in a clay bank for their nest. So where do they nest in a flat area like Merrit Island or South Fla where there are no banks? I know we got some top birders here as well as a lot of Fla shooters.
Posted by Brian Monk on April 24, 2007 at 10:58 PM
The truth is, Belted Kingifshers don't tend to breed in south Florida. There isn't enough breeding habitat for them to do it. If you find a Kingfisher after about May, then it may be part of a breeding pair. But finding the breeding site is easier said than done. The Florida Breeding Bird Atlas, unlike most BBAs, is online. Here is the entry for belted Kingfisher:
Cool, never thought about them going South for the Winter. The only time I can get away from the farm is in the Winter time so that is when I see them. The power lines at the cape are lined with them in the Winter. Thanks again, Robert
Posted by Frank Winters on April 25, 2007 at 9:13 AM
We have belted kingfishers in Massachusetts now. My bird book says they are resident from NE to Florida, Seattle to California. They breed in the north and winter in the SW. I have no idea where they nest.
I have trouble photographing them (I'm not a very good bird photographer) because they never seem to stay still!
Call your state DNR and ask them for a list of fish hatcherys both state and federal. The reason you want state farms rather than private ones is that the state employes punch a clock and don`t have any of their own money invested in the outcome of the hatchery. The birds will be use to people and cars etc and there will be enough tree huggers around so they don`t shoot them. You will not find tame kingfishers at a private hatchery. Find you a really nice limb and see if they will let you mount it with a c-clamp or whatever. Give the guys that help you out some free 8x10s and all will be happy campers. If you have a Delorme map of your state the hatcherys will be marked on it for the most part. I spend maby $5,000.00 a year to feed a few osprey and an eagle or two. I just crunched the numbers. I am willing to do this. My fish are too big for a kingfisher to grab. Yup, I own a fish farm. So make some calls and find you a pet kf.
Discussion
6 replieshttp://myfwc.com/bba/maps/BEKI.htm
I have trouble photographing them (I'm not a very good bird photographer) because they never seem to stay still!
Frank
"There are places you can go to get them."
Such as....
Thx,
Frank