Marie Read / Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) female holding prey (crayfish) in her bill, New York, USA

Marie Read / Belted kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) female taking flight from perch, Lansing, New York, USA. Digital composite.

Marie Read / Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) female with a fish (Round Goby), Lansing, New York, USA

Gerrit Vyn / Belted kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) female, Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana, USA. December.

Gerrit Vyn / Belted kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) female, Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana, USA. December.

Harry Collins / Belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) perched overlooking a small pond. Animal is showing nictitating membrane. Florida, USA.

Harry Collins / Belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) entering the frame and landing on a perch with its prey, a small minnow (Cypriniformes). The bird then rearranges the fish and swallows it headfirst. The bird the...

Harry Collins / Belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) perched and holding its prey, a small minnow. The beak of the bird has stabbed the fish. The kingfisher bashes the fish against the perch and then repeatedly thro...

John Chan / Belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) diving for prey, returns to fishing perch, Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Southern California, USA, March.

Marie Read / Female Belted kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) with fish prey, hits fish to stun it, before swallowing it and flying off, Lansing, New York, USA, August.

John Chan / Belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) on fishing perch, Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Southern California, USA.