Laughing Kookaburra
Dacelo novaeguineae
A stout kingfisher with a legendary laugh that sounds like a rollicking jungle chorus.
How I sound
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Fun facts about me
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Breakfast Alarm
Families 'laugh' together at dawn - the original Australian wake-up call for miles around!
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Snake Hunter
They grab venomous snakes behind the head and bash them against branches - feathered warriors!
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Movie Star
Their laugh features in jungle films worldwide - even in Africa where they don't live!
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Territory Boss
Families defend territories for generations with special laughs that say: 'This is OUR land!'
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Patient Fisher
They perch motionless for hours, then dive like feathered torpedoes to snatch fish from streams.