Photo of the Week: Belted Kingfisher Finds Lunch

A quick dark blur shot across my view in front of my windshield as I drove slowly down the dirt back road in Superior Township, Michigan.

Wait, what was that?

It was larger than an American Robin, but definitely smaller than a Red-tailed Hawk. And looked like it had streaks of white on its body.

What stood out for me was a bright orange object, something the bird was carrying either in its legs or bill.

But I couldn’t tell because the bird was flying quickly into the shadows of the tree branches across the pond.

I pointed my binoculars in the direction of where I thought the bird was perched, only to see it fly into the bright sunlight and perch on the wire of the pole in front of me.

And that’s when I could finally see the Belted Kingfisher, a stocky shaggy-crested gray and white bird with a rusty band on its chest.

Its crest looked more like a bad hair day, slightly matted down.

What I noticed quickly was the object in its bill, a brilliant orange goldfish.

Which was still wiggling in the Kingfisher’s mouth!

I’ve seem a lot of Belted Kingfishers over the years, but this was the first time I’ve seen it so closely with live food wiggling in its mouth.

The Belted Kingfisher turned slightly, facing me, as if to stare me down.

A few seconds later it flew off, across the pond again.

I assume it had a good lunch!