Cape May

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The Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon is one of my favorite birds.

There are three different families of kingfishers:
Alcedinidae river kingfishers (Africa, Asia, Australia)
Halcyonidae tree kingfishers (Indonesia, Asia, Africa, Australia)
Cerylidae water kingfishers (Africa, Asia and the New World). All six North American species are in this family.
There are 9 species in 3 genera in the Cerylidae family:

Megaceryle – large crested Kingfishers.
Giant Kingfisher (Megaceryle maxima)
Crested Kingfisher (Megaceryle lugubris)
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
Ringed Kingfisher (Megaceryle torquata)

Ceryle - Pied Kingfisher
Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) tropical regions of the Old World.

Chloroceryle Green Kingfishers
Amazon Kingfisher (Chloroceryle amazona)
Green Kingfisher (Chloroceryle americana)
Green-and-rufous Kingfisher (Chloroceryle inda)
American Pygmy Kingfisher (Chloroceryle aenea)

Photos are presented for the species highlighted in red.

These photos of a Belted Kingfisher in flight were taken off the Osprey boat at 1,250th of a second.

Belted Kingfisher

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