1. Ceryle alcyon. (Linn.) The Belted King-Fisher. Alcedo alcyon. Linn., Syst. Nat., I. p. 180. (1766.) Ispida ludoviciana. Gm., Syst. Nat., I. p. 452. (1788.) Alcedo jaguacati. Dumont, Dict. Sci. Nat., I. p. 455. (1816.) Alcedo guacu. Vieill., Nouv. Dict., XIX. p. 406?
Buffon, Pl. Enl., 593, 715; Catesby’s Carolina, I. pl. 69; Wilson, Am. Orn., III. pl. 23, fig. 1; Aud., B. of Am., pl. 77, Oct. ed. IV. pl. 255.
Form robust; head large, with the feathers of the crown and occiput lengthened, crest-like and erectile; wings long; second quill longest; tail moderate; tarsus very short; tibia longer; entire upper-parts, cheeks, and a wide transverse band or belt on the breast, light ashy-blue, generally with minute white spots on the wing-coverts and secondaries; throat and abdomen, and a small spot before the eye, white; flanks, and frequently the sides, ashy-blue, with white spots; quills black, more or less marked with white on their inner webs; secondaries widely edged on their outer webs with ashy-blue, uniform with other upper parts, and tipped narrowly with white; tail bluish-black, outer feathers edged externally with light ashy-blue, and middle feathers almost entirely of that color, and all having about ten to twelve narrow transverse bands of white, and narrowly tipped with white; under wing-coverts white. Younger, with the pectoral band light reddish chestnut, and frequently with a second and sometimes with a third band across the abdomen, and the sides and flanks of the same color; bill and feet dark. Sexes alike? Specimens occur with the wide pectoral band in all stages of change, from the light red to light ashy-blue.
Dimensions. Total length, male, about 12 inches; wing, 6¼; tail, 3⅓ inches.
Hab. Throughout North America. Oregon (Dr. Townsend); California (Dr. Heermann); Texas (Dr. Woodhouse); Canada (Dr. Hall); Florida (Mr. Williams).
Frequently met with in all parts of the United States, frequenting streams of water. It is a sprightly and handsome bird, and was until recently considered as the only North American species of the extensive family of King-Fishers. That honor must now, however, be partially shared with the succeeding.
2. Ceryle americana. (Gmelin.) The Texan Green King-Fisher. Alcedo americana. Gm., Syst., I. p. 451. (1788.) Alcedo viridis. Vieill., Nouv. Dict., XIX. p. 413. (1818)?
Buff., Pl. Enl. 591.
Much smaller than the preceding; bill straight; wing rather long, third quill longest; tail moderate; tarsus very short; legs rather slender; two outer toes united at base; entire plumage above dark shining green, darker and generally tinged with brownish on the head, and with numerous very small spots or points of white on the forehead; quills brownish-black, edged with green on their outer-webs; secondaries white at their bases, and all the quills with white spots on their outer-webs, regularly disposed, and forming three transverse bands on the wing; outer feathers of the tail white, irregularly marked on both webs with green; middle feathers green; breast bright reddish chestnut, forming a wide transverse band; throat, and ring around the back of the neck and abdomen, white; sides, flanks and under tail-coverts spotted with green; inferior wing-coverts white, with green spots; bill dark; feet lighter. Younger or female? Like the preceding, but with the pectoral band green, uniform with the color of the upper parts; white of the throat tinged with dull yellow.
Dimensions. Total length of skin, 7¼ inches; wing, 3¼; tail, 2½ inches.
Hab. Texas, Rio Grande (Capt. McCown, Mr. Clarke); Mexico (Lieut. Couch); South America.
This handsome little King-Fisher, though well known as a bird of South America, has, within the limits of the United States, only been observed on the Rio Grande in Texas. Several naturalists, however, mention having heard of a small species of King-Fisher in Southern California, and it is probable that the present bird will yet be found inhabiting that State.
This bird may very readily be distinguished from the common species of the United States by its small size and different colors; but there are other South American species of the same genus which it resembles. There is a group of these birds, the species of which, in fact, bear so great similarity to each other in form and in colors also, that they can be distinguished specifically mainly by their size. This group embraces Ceryle amazona, inda, superciliosa, Cabanisii, and the bird now before us. The first is as large as our Belted King-Fisher (Ceryle alcyon), and has been found in Mexico. All of these species are colored very much like the present bird, though, as above intimated, presenting marked difference in size.
The King-Fishers are most abundant in the southern regions of the world, and the preceding two species are all that have ever been noticed within the limits of the United States, though several others inhabit Mexico. Two species also are known as birds of Europe, though one of them (Ceryle rudis), like our second species in the United States, is a visitor only in the southern countries of that division of the globe.
In Asia and the Asiatic islands, and in Australia, numerous species of these birds are found. Some of the Australian species are the largest of this family, being of the size of or larger than the Crow of the United States, and are remarkable for their loud and discordant voices. They belong to the genus Dacelo of naturalists. Great diversity of size occurs in this family. There are other species (of the genera Ispidina and Ceyx), which are not larger than the Chipping Sparrow of this country, though, to all intents and purposes, regularly established King-Fishers, and probably preying on fishes of a size accordingly.
Though many of the birds of this family are partially aquatic in their habits, and subsist exclusively on fishes, there are species principally inhabiting the islands in the Pacific, and Australia, which are stated to live habitually in forests, subsisting on reptiles and small terrestrial animals of other classes. These birds belong to the genera Todiramphus and Dacelo of authors.