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14

Laughing Kookaburra

(Dacelo novaeguineae)
Alternate name(s): "Brown Kingfisher", "Great Kingfisher",
"Giant Kingfisher", "Laughing Jackass", "Bushman's Clock", "Settler's Clock"
Aboriginal name(s): "gugurrgaagaa" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay]; "gagaru"/"gagurim"/"gahgun"/"gargugan" [bundjalung]; "kurng-kurng"/"kuRu-kuRu" [yartwatjali, tjapwurrung, djadjawurrung], "kurng" [woiwurrung, wathawurrung]

Size: 40-47 cm
Weight: 200-450 g

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Laughing Kookaburra at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "novaeguineae"

Not the photos you want? Or are you after even better quality? Have a look here .

ADULT

PAIR

Close-up frontal view of a pair of Laughing Kookaburras (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, March 2018]

Close-up near-frontal/near-lateral view of a pair of Laughing Kookaburras (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cairns, QLD, September 2020]

The Laughing Kookaburra on the left told a joke, then both started laughing... these two made a racket that could be heard more than half a kilometre away
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2010]

Near-lateral view of a pair of Laughing Kookaburras posing for the camera (photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Gilgandra, NSW, April 2014]

Lateral view of a pair of Laughing Kookaburras

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Laughing Kookaburra with its head turned (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, July 2013]

Close-up near-frontal portrait of a "sausage thief" (photo courtesy of Y. English)
[Gosford, NSW, October 2008]

Near-frontal view of a Laughing Kookaburra waiting to be fed by a human benefactor (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, July 2013]

Near-frontal view of a Laughing Kookaburra
[Sydney, NSW, April 2006]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a Laughing Kookaburra following the observer
[Moree, NSW, November 2011]

Near-lateral view of a Laughing Kookaburra sitting on a rock, unafraid of the photographer (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, July 2013]

No, this is not a Laughing Kookaburra with a taste for fashion accessories; rather, it has got a pesky Willie Wagtail on its tail
[Limeburners Creek NP, NSW, October 2013]

Lateral view of a Laughing Kookaburra checking out the photographer
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, February 2023]

Lateral portrait of a Laughing Kookaburra (photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Gilgandra, NSW, April 2014]

Lateral portrait of a Laughing Kookaburra
[Yarrie Lake, NSW, August 2013]

Lateral portrait of a calling Laughing Kookaburra (photo courtesy of T. Lawrence)
[Long Beach, NSW, 2003]

Lateral view of a Laughing Kookaburra perched in a Cypress pine
[Yarrie Lake, NSW, August 2013]

Lateral view of a Laughing Kookaburra
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, May 2006]

Lateral view of a Laughing Kookaburra displaying its crest

Lateral/ventral view of a Laughing Kookaburra issuing its rollicking call just before the big cackle starts
[Moree, NSW, November 2011]

Near-dorsal view of a Laughing Kookaburra (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Loch McNess, Yanchep NP, near Perth, WA, January 2015]

Near-dorsal view of a wet Laughing Kookaburra (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Stanage Bay, QLD, July 2021]

Close-up dorsal view of a Laughing Kookaburra (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, July 2013]

Dorsal view of a Laughing Kookaburra
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, March 2006]

Family of Laughing Kookaburras in the top of a dead tree
[Bullawa Creek SCA, NSW, March 2009]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Juvenile Laughing Kookaburra honing its hunting skills; note the prominent barring on head and front and the dark lower mandible characterising this as a young bird
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2010]

Colour variations

Laughing Kookaburras are subject to the occasional colour deviation from normal. Effects known by us to have been observed are "albinism" (lack of colour pigmentation), "leucism" (deficiency of colour pigmentation) and "hyper-melanism" (excess colour pigmentation).

Albinism

Here a bit of a rarity: Two slightly different views of an albino Laughing Kookaburra; locals from the area where the bird was seen report that there appears to be a clan which regularly produces albinos. Another albino was later seen by us in the township of Narrabri, NSW
[Near Narrabri, NSW, August 2006]

Leucism

Frontal view of a leucistic Laughing Kookaburra, with a deficiency of colour pigmentation (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, December 2019]

Near-frontal view of a leucistic Laughing Kookaburra (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, December 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a leucistic Laughing Kookaburra (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, December 2019]

Dorsal view of a leucistic Laughing Kookaburra (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, December 2019]

Hyper-melanism

Near-frontal view of a "Black Kookaburra" - an hyper-melanistic Laughing Kookaburra, with excess colour pigmentation; a second Black Kookaburra was seen at the time (photo courtesy of M. Adam-Cross)
[Yarramundi, NSW, August 2013]

The bird shown above is one of two hyper-melanistic members of a family that have been observed and reported to us until July 2018.

Near-dorsal view of a "Black Kookaburra" - an hyper-melanistic Laughing Kookaburra, with excess colour pigmentation
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Gatton, QLD, July 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a "Black Kookaburra" - an hyper-melanistic Laughing Kookaburra, with excess colour pigmentation
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Kuranda, QLD, February 2022]

Race "minor"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Near-lateral view of a Laughing Kookaburra (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Mission Beach, QLD, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Laughing Kookaburra (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Croydon, QLD, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Laughing Kookaburra (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Loyalty Beach, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Laughing Kookaburra (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Loyalty Beach, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Aug - Dec Eggs: 2 - 4 Incubation period: 23 - 25 days Fledging age: 32 - 37 days

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Tree hollow Material: N/A Height above ground: 3 - 10 m

Instead of tree hollows Laughing Kookaburras sometimes also use arboreal termite nests for nesting. They do not line their nests.

Laughing Kookaburra nestling inside its nest hollow (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Banks Street Reserve, Ashgrove, Brisbane, QLD, November 2019]

Laughing Kookaburra nestling, here seen begging for food (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Banks Street Reserve, Ashgrove, Brisbane, QLD, November 2019]

Laughing Kookaburra nestling, here seen gulping down its meal (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Banks Street Reserve, Ashgrove, Brisbane, QLD, November 2019]

View of the entrance to a Laughing Kookaburra's nest hollow (photo courtesy of R. Druce)

Here the owner of the nest (photo courtesy of R. Druce)

Laughing Kookaburra at the entrance to its nest hollow (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Great Alpine Highway, Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2017]

In this tree a pair of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos makes use of the presence of Laughing Kookaburras; the large opening is used by the kookaburras, the smaller one in the upper left corner by the cockatoos
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, October 2011]

Most Laughing Kookaburras choose nesting hollows with very wide openings; however, this one is barely wide enough for a bird to enter and the hollow inside must be wider than the opening
[Near Narrabri, NSW, December 2011]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 45 x 36 mm Colour: White Shape: Rounded

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial Mobility: Sedentary Elementary unit: Family clan

We once noticed how a Laughing Kookaburra called its mates for help when a Whistling Kite came onto the scene. Together the 10-12 Kookaburras hustled the big raptor out of their territory.

Laughing Kookaburra going back to its roots, hunting for fish from a coastal cliff
[Little Nobby, Crescent Head, NSW, October 2013]

Laughing Kookaburra hunting off a perch
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2008]

THAT's a bill!
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2008]

The same Laughing Kookaburra as above
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2008]

How does a Laughing Kookaburra ensure that its voice can be heard far and wide? It uses a PA system...!
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, March 2016]

Stand-off between a Laughing Kookaburra and an Australian Magpie
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2019]

Food, Diet

Laughing Kookaburras are versatile hunters on land. They will take anything from snakes and lizards to mice, large insects and chicks of other bird species. They are feared by other bird species in the bush.

This Laughing Kookaburra is proving that it is a kingfisher, having caught a yabbie (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Mt. Tamborine NP, Gold Coast, QLD, April 2015]

"Too late to pray" - Praying Mantis falling prey to a Laughing Kookaburra (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Mudgeeraba, Gold Coast, QLD, September 2010]

Laughing Kookaburra taking a lizard (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Mudgeeraba, Gold Coast, QLD, September 2004]

Laughing Kookaburra taking a sizable snake (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill, QLD, September 2017]

Laughing Kookaburras can become very tame when fed; here one with minced meat (photo courtesy of J. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, August 2014]

Laughing Kookaburra prize - "Ha, took that off that human!" (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Mudgeeraba, Gold Coast, QLD, January 2013]

Laughing Kookaburra meal, skinned but not boned... (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Mudgeeraba, Gold Coast, QLD]

Laughing Kookaburra with a fair-size meal, a rat (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, August 2013]

Laughing Kookaburra with an unusual technique, digging its prey out of sand on a beach (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Carmila, QLD, September 2019]

Example of why Laughing Kookaburras do not usually need to drink water - a frog contains plenty of liquid
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Eacham, Atherton Tablelands, QLD, November 2018]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

lkooka_20151016.m4a novaeguineae
(NW NSW)
Territorial call © MD
lkooka_20230215.mp3 novaeguineae
(NW NSW)
Territorial call (family of 4) © MD
lkooka_20210215.m4a novaeguineae
(NW NSW)
Territorial calls (pair Q&A) © MD
lkooka_20200213.m4a novaeguineae
(NW NSW)
Territorial calls (pair Q&A) © MD
lkooka_20201219.m4a novaeguineae
(NW NSW)
Territorial calls (pair Q&A) © MD
lkooka_20230811.mp3 novaeguineae
(NW NSW)
Territorial calls (family clan) © MD
lkooka_20200531.m4a novaeguineae
(NW NSW)
Territorial calls (pair Q&A; + White-plumed Honeyeater alarm calls) © MD
lkooka_20160920.m4a novaeguineae
(NW NSW)
Clan Q&A © MD
lkooka_art_20131212.m4a novaeguineae
(SE QLD)
Clan-to-clan Q&A © ART
lkooka_20200718.m4a novaeguineae
(NW NSW)
Arrival & territorial call
(+ Willie Wagtail)
© MD
lkooka_20151016_2.m4a novaeguineae
(NW NSW)
? (low chuckle) © MD
lkooka_20210327.m4a novaeguineae
(NW NSW)
? (low chuckle) © MD
lkooka_art_20131203.m4a novaeguineae
(SE QLD)
? © ART

More Laughing Kookaburra sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site?
If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.