Photo: Kerry Raymond / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Laughing Kookaburra
Dacelo novaeguineae
Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) is a member of the Alcedinidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 334 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Coraciiformes
- Family Alcedinidae Kingfishers
- Genus Dacelo
- Species novaeguineae
Quick facts
- Weight
- 334 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Alcedinidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Laughing Kookaburra is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Laughing Kookaburra is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) belongs to the Alcedinidae family of the order Coraciiformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU sw, e Australia.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 334 g, with a wing length of about 21.6 cm and a tail of around 15.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Laughing Kookaburra?
The Laughing Kookaburra is a large bird that weighs around 334 g.
Where does the Laughing Kookaburra live?
The Laughing Kookaburra is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU sw, e Australia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Laughing Kookaburra belong to?
The Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) belongs to the Alcedinidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Laughing Kookaburra eat?
The Laughing Kookaburra is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Laughing Kookaburra migrate?
The Laughing Kookaburra is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Laughing Kookaburra endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Laughing Kookaburra make?
1 real field recording of the Laughing Kookaburra — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Laughing Kookaburra's range?
The Laughing Kookaburra has a mapped global range of about 2.4 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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