So this was a pretty cool sighting for me. This is a male Belted Kingfisher that I spotted along the Arroyo Simi from the service road just east of First Street. Apologies for the shaky footage, but this guy was quite distant from me and he kept flitting from place to place so getting good footage was difficult. Belted Kingfishers are the most abundant and widespread kingfisher in North America although this is the first one I have ever seen. Belted Kingfishers perch upon tree branches, walls and fences while they scour clear, still waters for fish. The species nests in holes along rivers, streams, lakes, estuaries,and arroyos. Kingfishers are one of the few species in which the female is more brightly colored than the male. If the kingfisher in the video below was a female, it would also have a rufous band across its across its chest and down its flanks.
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