Belted Kingfisher Favorite Fish — What to Serve in Scale the Depths

Belted Kingfisher appears in Outer Banks and pays a favorite tip for Bluegill. Bluegill is Belted Kingfisher's signature — no other customer treats it as a favorite, so any Bluegill you land has exactly one ideal buyer.

There are two versions of Belted Kingfisher. The base pays up to 62 (50 base + 12 tip); the rarer variant pays up to 110, a 48-coin jump for the same fish. A variant of Belted Kingfisher is always worth serving over the base when both are on screen — same catch, bigger payout.

Belted Kingfisher is picky: it dislikes 5 different fish (Northern Red Snapper, Longnose Gar, Lost Dimetrodon, Lane Snapper, Blackfin Snapper). Serving any of these cuts the payout, so when Belted Kingfisher is on screen, check your catch against the avoid list before you plate it.

Bluegill is caught in Outer Banks — the same world where you meet Belted Kingfisher, so you can serve it fresh without backtracking. It has 30 health and a feed value of 69. Scale it cleanly to clear Belted Kingfisher’s favorite threshold and bank the 12-coin tip.

Full stats for every catch are in the fish almanac.

The belted kingfisher is a fishing bird found near rivers, lakes, and coastal waters across much of North America, including Canada, Alaska, and the United States. During the colder months, many migrate south to Mexico. Easily recognized by its large head and shaggy crest, the belted kingfisher hunts by hovering or perching above the water before plunging headfirst to catch fish below the surface. As it patrols its territory, the kingfisher often gives a loud rattling call. Fittingly, a group of belted kingfishers may be known as a rattle, a concentration, or even a kerfuffle.

In-game species label: Megaceryle alcyon