Laughing Kookaburra

Dacelo novaeguineae

Range & Recent Observations

Last Spotted Near You

About the Laughing Kookaburra

The laughing kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) is a bird in the kingfisher subfamily Halcyoninae. It is a large kingfisher with a whitish head and a brown eye-stripe. The upperparts are mostly dark brown but there is a mottled light-blue patch on the wing coverts. The underparts are cream-white and the tail is barred with rufous and black. The plumage of the male and female birds is similar. The territorial call is a distinctive laugh that is often delivered by several birds at the same time, and is widely used as a stock sound effect in situations that involve a jungle setting. The laughing kookaburra is native to eastern mainland Australia, but has also been introduced to parts of New Zealand, Tasmania, and Western Australia.

Source: Wikipedia

Classification

Scientific name: Dacelo novaeguineae
Family: Kingfishers
Order: Coraciiformes

Similar species

Other members of the kingfishers family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.

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