Kingfishers are colorful birds in the family Alcedinidae, known for their large heads, long, dagger-like bills, and their habit of diving into water to catch fish. There are over 90 species of kingfishers found worldwide, but only one species, the Belted Kingfisher, is found in Canada.
Vancouver Island, located off the southwestern coast of mainland British Columbia, is the largest island on the West Coast of North America. Its varied habitats, from coastal areas to forests to mountain lakes and rivers, provide home to diverse wildlife, including over 200 species of birds. But do kingfishers, with their preference for waterside living, make their home on Vancouver Island?
Belted Kingfisher Habitat
The Belted Kingfisher is a stocky, medium-sized bird reaching lengths of 11-14 inches. Their plumage is a slate-blue color on the head, back, and chest, with a white collar (“belt”) around the neck and white underparts. Females also have a rusty band across the belly.
Belted Kingfishers live near bodies of water where they find their prey. They frequent rivers, lakes, estuaries, and coastlines and are found throughout much of North America. Their range extends across Canada from the Maritime provinces to British Columbia.
These kingfishers hunt for food by perching on branches, posts, or wires near the water and diving to catch fish. They do not actually swim under water, but plunge into the water head first to grasp fish and invertebrates in their bills. Their diet consists mainly of small fish such as minnows, sticklebacks, and sunfish. They also eat crustaceans, frogs, and aquatic insects.
After catching prey, they return to their perch to beat it against the branch or post, softening it before swallowing it head first. Belted Kingfishers require clear, well-oxygenated waters with ample fish populations for their fishing strategy. They are solitary birds outside of the breeding season, only coming together as monogamous pairs to nest.
Kingfisher Habitat on Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island provides varied coastal and inland waterways that make suitable habitat for Belted Kingfishers. Coastal habitats around the island include rocky shorelines, estuaries, and tidal flats. Kingfishers often perch on shoreline rocks, poles or piers to scan for small fish. They may also patrol up and down beaches or mudflats, hovering briefly then plunging down to catch prey.
Major rivers like the Campbell, Gold, and Nimpkish Rivers as well as the multitude of smaller streams and tributaries offer ideal kingfisher feeding grounds. The rivers and lakes are home to fish and other aquatic life that the kingfishers feed on. The wooded banks provide the kingfishers with appropriate perch locations to hunt from.
Inland lakes, reservoirs, and ponds are also inhabited by Belted Kingfishers on Vancouver Island. Places such as Great Central, Sproat, and Comox Lakes and the reservoir at Campbell River support kingfisher populations.
Coastal Locations
Some specific coastal regions where Belted Kingfishers can be spotted around Vancouver Island include:
- Victoria Harbour
- Esquimalt Lagoon
- Nanaimo Estuary
- Comox Harbour
- Port Alberni Harbour
- Ucluelet Inlet
Forest Rivers
Forested rivers that may feature kingfishers include:
- Gold River
- Campbell River
- Quinsam River
- Nimpkish River
- Somass River
- Sarita River
Island Lakes
Some lakes with possible kingfisher populations:
- Great Central Lake
- Sproat Lake
- Comox Lake
- Cowichan Lake
- Shawnigan Lake
Kingfisher Nesting on Vancouver Island
Belted Kingfishers nest in burrows excavated out of vertical banks ranging from sand cliffs to forested hillsides near water. The female digs the burrow alone, using her strong bill to tunnel into the bank up to 15 feet. At the end she excavates a nest chamber lined with fish bones and scales.
The kingfishers breed between April and July. Once the eggs hatch, both parents feed the young by regurgitating recently-caught fish. Ideal nesting sites feature banks with fine-textured soils near productive fishing waters.
Many riverbanks, lakeshores, road cuts, quarries, and estuaries around Vancouver Island supply suitable nesting sites. Belted Kingfishers excavate breeding burrows along rivers like the Courtenay, Puntledge, and Oyster and on banks bordering lakes and estuaries. They can also be seen nesting in bluffs above the ocean shore.
Pacific Rim National Park
Pacific Rim National Park with its rugged shoreline and coastal old growth forest offers high quality Belted Kingfisher habitat. Kingfishers nest in the sandy cliffs along Long Beach and hunt in the Cheewhat River and tidal waters of Grice Bay.
Savary Island
This small Gulf Island off the coast of Vancouver Island is ringed by sandy bluffs. Kingfishers here dig nest burrows in the banks and hunt in the island’s estuary.
Cowichan River
The banks of the Cowichan River from Cowichan Lake downstream provide prime nesting substrate. Kingfishers take advantage of the abundant fish in the river after breeding.
Threats to Kingfishers on Vancouver Island
Although Belted Kingfishers have adapted well to human alterations of shorelines and waterways, some threats put pressure on their populations:
- Water pollution: Contaminants like heavy metals and chemicals from industry, sewage, or agriculture can reduce fish populations and poison kingfishers.
- Habitat loss: Development along shorelines can remove nesting and perching sites. Damming and diversion of water can negatively impact fishing habitats.
- Disturbance: Increased recreational activity near nesting areas may disrupt breeding. Nests can be damaged by riverbank erosion from boat wakes.
- Climate change: Drought conditions which lower water levels can reduce aquatic prey populations.
Fortunately, Belted Kingfishers remain a fairly common species on Vancouver Island. But habitat conservation and protecting water quality will be important for their future.
Conclusion
The Belted Kingfisher, Canada’s only kingfisher species, is found across much of Vancouver Island. This blue-plumaged bird inhabits coastal areas, rivers, lakes, and estuaries where it finds fish and aquatic prey. Ideal kingfisher habitat features clear, tranquil waters with abundant submerged vegetation and stocks of small fish. They nest in burrows excavated from vertical banks of sand or soil.
Vancouver Island’s diversity of well-oxygenated waterways, from forest rivers to island-studded estuaries, attracts these stocky, crested fishing birds. Watch for kingfishers perched prominently over the water, diving to catch fish and crustaceans. Listen for their loud, rattling calls as they fly rapidly along shorelines. Protecting the quality of aquatic habitats will ensure kingfishers remain part of the island’s wildlife for the future.