Food is regurgitated for the chicks, and the male feeds them twice as often as the female. Fledgings leave the burrow around the 28th day. The young remain with the parents for about 3 weeks, and are fed by them with increasing irregularity for this amount of time. Eventually, the parents refuse to feed them anymore, and the chicks are thus forced to feed themselves. Behavior The belted kingfisher is generally solitary, except during breeding.
Pairs strongly defend their territories throughout the breeding season.
The male especially will escort an intruder out of his feeding grounds, scolding all the way. If anything is out of order in a belted kingfisher's territory, it often responds by erecting the crest feathers. However, most territorial defense is accomplished through vocalizations and aerial chases. A vibrating, mechanical rattle is the characteristic call, given at the smallest disturbance. A scream is also often used by both sexes, in confrontational retreat, while displaying a threat, or as a greeting when a mate is approaching.