English         -          Ringed Kingfisher

Portuguese  -          Martim-pescador-grande

Latin             -          Megaceryle torquata

The ringed kingfisher (Megaceryle torquata) is a large, conspicuous and noisy kingfisher commonly found along the lower Rio Grande valley in southern Texas, through to Central America and as far south as Argentina. They frequent large, slow running rivers and varied types of waters such as lakes, marshes, estuaries, coastal lagoons, rice fields, canals, mangroves and open beaches. This bird can be found in heavily wooded areas, however, it is most common in open areas such as open shorelines and pools near larger waterbodies.

It is around 40 cm in length and weighs around 340 grams. It has a deep blue or bluish-grey plumage with white markings, a shaggy crest and a broad white collar around the neck. Its most distinguishing characteristic is the entire rufous belly, which covers the entire breast of the male. Females are more colourful than the male and have a bluish-grey breast and a narrow white stripe separating the breast from the belly.

It hunts for its food by perching high (usually between 15-35 feet off the ground, higher than any other species of kingfisher) and watches the water. When it spots a fish (or other prey) close to the surface, it plunges headfirst, catching the fish in its bill. Seldom hovers over the water before diving. The Ringed Kingfisher feeds mainly on fish. (as big as 20 centimetres in length) It can also preys on amphibians such as frogs and salamanders, reptiles, crabs and insects, and occasionally small mammals and berries.

Breeding season varies according to location.
The Ringed Kingfisher is usually a solitary nester. The nest-site is often situated in riverbanks, or banks of lagoons or lakes, but also uses eroded gullies far from water to construct its nest. They burrow a tunnel in a side of a bank which is excavated by both adults. The entrance is about about 10 centimetres in diameter and often 2-3 metres long. At the end of the tunnel there is a nest chamber which is larger than the entrance of the tunnel. Female lays 3-6 white eggs and both parents incubate the eggs for around three weeks until the chicks hatch. The chicks are fed by both adults for the first 5 weeks, after that they are ready to leave the “nest” and learn to be kingfishers. Parents still look after the young for sometime after they leave the “nest”.

The fact that the Ringed Kingfisher has an extremely large range and a large population which by some reports is increasing, this species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion. For these reasons the species is evaluated to “as Least Concern”. 

Both photos of the (Male) Ringed Kingfisher were taken at Ilha do Frade - Vitoria - Espirito Santo