Kookaburras have a diverse diet and unique hunting techniques that set them apart from other birds. Given the extended range and the large stable population — the species is evaluated as of “least concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The population density of the laughing kookaburra in Australia varies between 0.04 and 0.8 birds/ha depending on the habitat. The male then offers her his current catch accompanied with an “oo oo oo” sound. Around Cooktown the laughing kookaburra tends to favour areas near water while the blue-winged kookaburra keeps to drier habitats.
Refer to the Kookaburra Species and Types overview for a detailed comparison of all four kookaburra species, which include the spangled and rufous-bellied kookaburra. The kookaburra shares a similar ecological niche with birds of prey, which is why its behavior may resemble that of these hunting birds rather than that of a typical kingfisher. A small, jewel-toned bird diving for fish near a creek is what most people envision when they think of a kingfisher.
The Kookaburra’s Menu: A Hunter’s Diet
Their iconic call not only marks the dawn and dusk but also serves as a territorial signal. From their unique diet to their family-oriented behavior, kookaburras have a lot to offer. Known for their distinctive call (which sounds like human laughter), these birds have captured the imagination of many. Their diet includes insects — small mammals, and even snakes.
Relationship with humans
Assuming an average of 0.3 birds/ha the total population may be as large as 65 million individuals. It is not uncommon for kookaburras to snatch food out of people’s hands without warning, by swooping in from a distance. Novaeguineae will open its beak (ruffle up the feathers surrounding its cap), and angle their heads towards the direction of the threat. Laughing kookaburras will splay out their wings and propel their head forward while shaking their tail feathers to exhibit dominance and ward off intruders.
Threats and conservation efforts
The kookaburra’s call is the unofficial sound of the Australian bush – used in film scores — tourism campaigns and childhood memories. It has been introduced to Western Australia (Tasmania), Kangaroo Island and New Zealand, where it is now established but not native. Males have a subtle blue tinge on the rump and tail; females tend toward rufous-brown in the same area.
What do laughing kookaburras sound like?
The genus Dacelo contains four kookaburra species of which the rufous-bellied kookaburra and the spangled kookaburra are restricted to New Guinea and islands in the Torres Straits. Its diet includes lizards — insects, worms, snakes, mice and it is known to take goldfish out of garden ponds. When the chicks fledge they continue to be fed by the group for six to ten weeks until they are able to forage independently. The youngest of the three nestlings or chicks is often killed by the older siblings. A breeding pair can be accompanied by up to five fully grown non-breeding offspring from previous years that help the parents defend their territory and raise their young. The laughing kookaburra is native to eastern mainland Australia (but has also been introduced to parts of New Zealand), Tasmania, and Western Australia.
Diet
Kookaburras occupy woodland territories (including forests) in loose family groups, and their laughter serves the same purpose as a great many other bird calls—to mark territorial borders. The range of free sports tips the laughing kookaburra overlaps with that of the blue-winged kookaburra in an area of eastern Queensland that extends from the Cape York Peninsula south to near Brisbane. It is more common where the understory is open and sparse or where the ground is covered with grass.
Kookaburra — (species Dacelo novaeguineae), eastern Australian bird of the kingfisher family (Alcedinidae), whose call sounds like fiendish laughter. Both sexes participate equally in territorial calling and cooperative nesting. Males typically show a blue-green or turquoise tinge in this area; females have more rufous-brown tones.
Their preferred habitats are generally areas with sufficient tree cover for nesting and perching, combined with open ground for hunting. Protecting bushland habitat helps ensure kookaburras continue to survive in urban and natural environments. The female lays several white eggs, and both parents help incubate the eggs and care for the chicks after they hatch.
Explore related fact sheets about birds, reptiles, invertebrates, tree habitats, eucalypt forests, woodland ecosystems and food webs. By eating insects, rodents and reptiles, they help keep animal populations balanced. They are commonly found in eucalyptus forests, woodlands, open bushland, parks, school grounds and suburban gardens. Kookaburras are famous for their loud laughing calls, which sound like a group of people laughing together.
Laughing kookaburras have a large head — strong beak and sturdy body. Laughing kookaburras are called guganigine by the Darug people of the Sydney Basin. Understanding kookaburras helps us appreciate the rich biodiversity of our planet.
Typically, a clutch of three rounded, semi-glossy white eggs, measuring 36 mm × 45 mm , 1.4 in × 1.8 in,, is laid by the female at intervals of approximately two days. Nevertheless, some observers argue that the female actually approaches the male to present him with her recent catch. Like a young bird, the female displays a begging posture and vocalizes. Family units are typical for most kookaburra species — with young individuals assisting their parents in hunting and caring for the next generation.
The laughing kookaburra and blue-winged kookaburra differ from each other in terms of territorial calling behaviors. In contrast to the laughing kookaburra, the blue-winged version possesses a pale blue or white eye in males instead of a brown one. One of the few subtle distinctions in coloration between the sexes is the blue found on the male’s tail and rump, while females exhibit more rufous and brown hues in that area. The overall impression created is that of a compact, grounded bird—heavy in the front, purposeful, and not overly flashy. Proportionally large and blocky, the head sits atop a body characterized by a long, heavy bill that is dark brown on the upper side and lighter on the underneath. Measuring between 28 and 42 centimeters from bill tip to tail and weighing between 300 and 480 grams — adults of this species are the largest among the four kookaburra varieties.