# Laughing Kookaburra (*Dacelo novaeguineae*) The Laughing Kookaburra is a big, friendly bird known for its loud, laughing call! They love to sit on tree branches and watch for tasty insects and small animals to eat. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Laughing Bird ![Laughing Kookaburra](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Dacelo_novaeguineae_waterworks.jpg&width=800) Photo: JJ Harrison ( https://www.jjharrison.com.au/ ), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dacelo_novaeguineae_waterworks.jpg) ## Appearance The Laughing Kookaburra is a stocky bird with a creamy white head featuring a distinct dark brown eye-stripe and a large, powerful black bill. Its back is streaked brown, contrasting with blue patches on its wings and a lighter, whitish belly. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Coraciiformes - **Family:** Alcedinidae - **Genus:** Dacelo ## Interesting facts - Kookaburras are the largest species of kingfisher, despite not eating many fish! - Their famous 'laugh' is a social call often heard at dawn and dusk. - They use their powerful bill like a spear, diving from branches to catch ground prey. - Young kookaburras often stay with their parents to help raise the next generation of chicks. ## Special abilities - **Territory Teller:** Laughing Kookaburra can produce a loud, cackling 'laugh' that helps them boldly announce their territory to other birds. - **Snake Sniper:** Laughing Kookaburra has keen eyesight and a strong, pointed bill that helps them accurately snatch and subdue snakes. - **Prey Basher:** Laughing Kookaburra can stun or kill larger prey by smashing it against a hard surface before eating it whole. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 40-47 cm - **Wingspan:** 65-80 cm - **Weight:** 0.3-0.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-20 years - **Speed:** 45 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-4 - **Incubation:** 24-26 days - **Migration Distance:** 0 km ## Diet & Feeding A skilled hunter that eats small animals, insects, and occasionally other birds. - **Primary Foods:** Snakes, Lizards, Insects, Rodents, Frogs, Small birds - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** King Brown Snake (*Pseudechis australis*) — Known for preying on venomous snakes. - **Hunts:** Lace Monitor (*Varanus varius*) — Preys on juvenile monitors and other lizards. - **Eaten by:** Wedge-tailed Eagle (*Aquila audax*) — Can be prey for larger, powerful raptors. - **Shelter:** Southern Blue Gum (*Eucalyptus globulus*) — Uses hollows in these large trees for nesting. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance, and don't try to touch or feed them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Laughing Kookaburra? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Laughing Kookaburra? 40-47 cm ### What is Laughing Kookaburra's wingspan? 65-80 cm ### How much does Laughing Kookaburra weigh? 0.3-0.5 kg ### How long does Laughing Kookaburra live? 15-20 years ### How fast can Laughing Kookaburra move? 45 km/h ### What does Laughing Kookaburra eat? A skilled hunter that eats small animals, insects, and occasionally other birds. ### Where is Laughing Kookaburra usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Alexandria Zoological Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alexandria-zoological-park) — Louisiana, US · Zoo - [Kentucky Down Under](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kentucky-down-under) — Kentucky, US · Zoo - [Tierpark Krüzen](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tierpark-kruzen) — Schleswig-Holstein, DE · Zoo - [Tierpark Bad Liebenstein](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tierpark-bad-liebenstein) — Thüringen, DE · Zoo - [Tierpark Irgenöd](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tierpark-irgenoed) — Bayern, DE · Zoo - [Tierpark Zittau](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tierpark-zittau) — Sachsen, DE · Zoo [View all places to see Laughing Kookaburra](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/laughing-kookaburra) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Laughing Kookaburra: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/laughing-kookaburra)