Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Ringed Kingfisher
Megaceryle torquata
Ringed Kingfisher (Megaceryle torquata) — Kingfishers & Rollers of North America.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Ringed Kingfisher (Megaceryle torquata) is a member of the Alcedinidae family found in Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Adults weigh 317 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Coraciiformes
- Family Alcedinidae Kingfishers
- Genus Megaceryle
- Species torquata
Where it lives
Southwestern USA to Tierra del Fuego
Quick facts
- Weight
- 317 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Alcedinidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Ringed Kingfisher hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of rivers and riverside habitats, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Ringed Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Ringed Kingfisher (Megaceryle torquata) is a member of the Alcedinidae family, within the order Coraciiformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Its distribution covers NA, MA, SA sw USA to Tierra del Fuego.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 317 g, with a wing length of about 19.1 cm and a tail of around 12 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 16.3 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Ringed Kingfisher?
The Ringed Kingfisher is a large bird that weighs around 317 g.
Where does the Ringed Kingfisher live?
The Ringed Kingfisher is found across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America with a range covering NA, MA, SA sw USA to Tierra del Fuego, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Ringed Kingfisher belong to?
The Ringed Kingfisher (Megaceryle torquata) belongs to the Alcedinidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Ringed Kingfisher eat?
The Ringed Kingfisher hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Ringed Kingfisher migrate?
The Ringed Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Ringed Kingfisher endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Ringed Kingfisher make?
1 real field recording of the Ringed Kingfisher — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Ringed Kingfisher's range?
The Ringed Kingfisher has a mapped global range of about 16.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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