Belted Kingfisher
Belted KingfisherBelted KingfisherBelted KingfisherBelted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

Megaceryle alcyon

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Tikal National Park
16 Verified sightings at Tikal National Park From 2019 to 2026
44,559 Verified sightings across all 93 parks From 2019 to 2026
January Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Belted Kingfisher

The belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) is a large, conspicuous water kingfisher, native to North America. The belted kingfisher received its scientific name from Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae. He introduced the binomial name Alcedo alcyon, basing the name on descriptions and images published by Mark Catesby (1731), John Ray (1713), and George Edwards (1750). The current genus Megaceryle was erected by German naturalist Johann Jakob Kaup in 1848. Megaceryle is from the Ancient Greek megas, "great", and the existing genus Ceryle. The specific name alcyon is Latin for "kingfisher".

The Megaceryle large green kingfishers were formerly placed in Ceryle with the pied kingfisher, but the latter is closer to the Chloroceryle American green kingfishers. The belted kingfisher's closest living relative is the ringed kingfisher (M. torquata), and these two in all probability originated from an African Megaceryle, which colonized the Americas.

The belted kingfisher is a stocky, medium-sized bird that measures from 28–35 cm (11–14 in) in length with a wingspan from 48–58 cm (19–23 in). It can weigh from 113... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Tikal National Park

Ringed Kingfisher
LC

Ringed Kingfisher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Megaceryle torquata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
American Pygmy Kingfisher
LC

American Pygmy Kingfisher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chloroceryle aenea

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Green Kingfisher
LC

Green Kingfisher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chloroceryle americana

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Amazon Kingfisher
LC

Amazon Kingfisher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chloroceryle amazona

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Lesson's Motmot
LC

Lesson's Motmot

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Momotus lessonii

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Tody Motmot
LC

Tody Motmot

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hylomanes momotula

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
~50%
2 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~40%
3 Ciénaga de Zapata 🇨🇺 Cuba
~40%
4 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~40%
5 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
~40%
6 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
~30%
7 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
8 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~30%
9 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~30%
10 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
11 Isla del Coco National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
12 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~20%
13 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
14 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
15 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
16 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
~20%
17 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
18 Jaragua National Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
~20%
19 Nahanni National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~20%
20 Voyageurs National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
21 Los Haitises National Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
~20%
22 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
23 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
24 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
25 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
26 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
27 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
28 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
29 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
30 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
31 Saguaro National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
32 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
33 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
34 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
35 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
36 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
37 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
38 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
39 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
40 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
41 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
42 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
43 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
44 Biotopo Cerro Cahuí 🇬🇹 Guatemala
~10%
45 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
46 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
47 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
48 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
49 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
50 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
51 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
52 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
53 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
54 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
55 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
56 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
57 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
58 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
59 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
60 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
61 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
62 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
63 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
64 Tayrona National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
65 Elk Island National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
66 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
67 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
68 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
69 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
70 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
<5%
71 Tikal National Park 🇬🇹 Guatemala
<5%
72 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
73 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
74 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
75 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
76 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
77 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
78 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
79 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
80 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
81 Los Quetzales National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
82 Cabo Pulmo National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
83 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
84 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
85 Caroni Swamp 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
Insufficient data
86 Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park 🇯🇲 Jamaica
Insufficient data
87 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
88 Main Ridge Forest Reserve 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
Insufficient data
89 Guadalupe Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
90 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
91 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
92 Galápagos Islands 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Insufficient data
93 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Belted Kingfisher in Tikal National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Belted Kingfisher sighting in Tikal National Park, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Belted Kingfisher in Tikal National Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Belted Kingfisher in Tikal National Park in our monthly data.

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