Laughing Kookaburra
A species of Kookaburras, Also known as Laughing Jackass Scientific name : Dacelo novaeguineae Genus : Kookaburras
Laughing Kookaburra, A species of Kookaburras
Also known as:
Laughing Jackass
Botanical name: Dacelo novaeguineae
Genus: Kookaburras
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Description People often ask General Info
Description
The largest among all kingfisher birds, the laughing Kookaburra is named after its distinctive laugh-like call. This well-known bird is an omnivorous predator that defends its territory aggressively. It pairs for life and lives in extended family units, where the offspring from last year help raise the new-born chicks.
Size
39 - 42 cm
Life Expectancy
11-20 years
Feeding Habits
Laughing Kookaburra primarily prey on small mammals, invertebrates, yabbies, fish, lizards, and young birds, notably including snakes. They exhibit an opportunistic hunting style, capable of overtaking creatures larger than themselves, with a proclivity for venomous snakes.
Habitat
Laughing Kookaburra typically inhabits open sclerophyll forests and woodlands, particularly where the understory is sparse or grassy. These birds require tree hollows for nesting. Their range also encompasses wetlands, and they can adapt to human-altered environments such as farmland with remnant trees, suburban gardens, and urban parks. Eucalypt forests are a preferred habitat, and they can also be found in areas with riparian vegetation along watercourses, forest edges, pine plantations, and areas undergoing forest regeneration.
Dite type
Carnivorous
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General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird Feeder Type
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Behavior
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. Most species of kookaburras tend to live in family units, with offspring helping the parents hunt and care for the next generation of offspring.
Distribution Area
The laughing kookaburra is native to eastern Australia and has a range that extends from the Cape York Peninsula in the north to Cape Otway in the south. It is present on both the eastern and the western sides of the Great Dividing Range. In the south the range extends westwards from Victoria to the Yorke Peninsula and the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. It has been introduced into many other areas probably because of its reputation for killing snakes.
Species Status
The population density of the laughing kookaburra in Australia varies between 0.04 and 0.8 birds/ha depending on the habitat. However, this may represent a severe over-estimate since the population of the laughing kookaburra seems to be undergoing a marked decline. 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.