Nesting of the Ringed Kingfisher in the United States

According to the A.O.U. Check-list (fifth Ed., Baltimore, Amer. Ornithol. Union, 1957) the widespread neotropical Ringed Kingfisher (MegaceryIe torquata) is known from the United States only as ‘accidental on the lower Rio Grande in Texas (Laredo, June 2, 1888).’ More recent publications (Wolfe, Check-list of the birds of Texas, Lancaster,P ennsylvaniaI,n telligencerP rinting Co., 1956; Davis, Birds of the Rio Grande Delta Region, Harlingen, Texas, published by the author, 1966) list it as a casual or extremely rare visitant in the Rio Grande valley. From early winter 1966 to the present (May 1970) it has been seen with increasingf requencya long that part of the lower Rio Grande between Falcon Dam on the west to about 30 miles above Brownsville on the east, a stretch of approximately 100 miles. Most of the sightings in the lower part of this area have been at the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge, the Bentsen State Park, and at or near Anzalduas Dam. From 15 September to 5 October 1968 a single bird remained around North Lake at the Santa Ana Refuge. At Bentsen State Park one bird, and rarely two, were seen during most of October and early November 1968.

Albert D. McGrew, Auk, Vol. 88:665-666