Belted Kingfisher Series,
Courting Behavior
Conditions for photography were dismal this day!
The bird activity was a great distance away, requiring me to crop severely; and the lighting
suffered due to an ongoing rainstorm.
A female Belted Kingfisher sits leisurely amidst a soft Spring rainstorm
(April 18, 2012)
She hears the chatter of a male Kingfisher, and turns toward that direction
the male Belted Kingfisher has captured prey, It was determined later that these fish are
an introduced, invasive species called, Weather Loach, likely from someone's aquarium!
The male faces toward the female and 'entices' the female with gyrations, flaunting his prize.
This behavior continues...
Please understand, the birds have dramatically changed positions here, with the Female
now on the right, where the male had been earlier.
The Male flies in with his catch, to feed it to the Female!
Male in midair, with 'landing gear' down... Female with beak open.
Positioning of the birds obscures the presence of the Weather Loach in the Male's beak
This is the supreme moment that the Male (background) passes the food to the Female!
The Male flies away...
Leaving the Female with the prize!
The Female moves left; the Male lands at the right to oversee the activity
The Female positions herself on the branch, holding the prize.
The prey is still actively wiggling!
The Male flies away in a moment, to a tree close by...
The Female occupies the favorite spot on this branch, while the Male...
Sits in the nearby tree while the Female devours the prize.
When the Male sees that the Female has finished eating, he again goes "fishing"...
And brings back a 2nd Weather Loach, and the process repeats!
