Arctic Tern vs Laughing Kookaburra
Sterna paradisaea compared with Dacelo novaeguineae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Arctic Tern | Laughing Kookaburra |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Sterna paradisaea | Dacelo novaeguineae |
| Order | Charadriiformes | Coraciiformes |
| Family | Laridae | Alcedinidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 34.0 cm (13.4 in) | 43.0 cm (16.9 in) |
| Wingspan | 80.0 cm (31.5 in) | 65.0 cm (25.6 in) |
| Weight | 110.0 g (3.88 oz) | 340.0 g (11.99 oz) |
| Diet | Small fish and crustaceans caught by plunge-diving from the air. Hovers briefly before diving. | Insects, lizards, snakes, small mammals, birds, and crustaceans. A sit-and-wait predator that swoops from a … |
| Clutch Size | 2-3 | 1-5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Arctic Tern
Breeds on coastal and tundra habitats. Spends most of its life at sea over the open ocean. Nests in colonies on beaches and rocky shores.
Laughing Kookaburra
Eucalyptus forests, woodland, and suburban gardens throughout eastern and southwestern Australia.
Song & Call Comparison
Arctic Tern
A sharp, grating 'kree-yah' alarm call. Also gives 'kik-kik-kik' near the nest. Highly aggressive vocally during the Arctic breeding season. Calls are harsh and insistent.
Laughing Kookaburra
The eponymous call: a loud, rollicking laughter 'koo-koo-koo-ka-ka-ka-ka', rising then falling. Family groups call together creating a cacophony. Iconic sound of the Australian bush.
Geographic Range & Migration
Arctic Tern
Breeds in the Arctic and sub-Arctic. Migrates to the Antarctic, experiencing two summers per year. Found on every ocean.
Laughing Kookaburra
Eastern Australia from Cape York to South Australia and Tasmania. Introduced to southwestern Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Arctic Tern
Laughing Kookaburra
How to Tell Them Apart
Arctic Tern
Pale grey upperparts, white underparts with a black cap. Blood-red bill and short red legs. Deeply forked tail streamers. Winter adults lose the full black cap.
Slender, pointed, bright red bill
Laughing Kookaburra
Brown upperparts with blue patches on the wings and rump. Creamy white head and underparts with a dark eye stripe. Dark brown tail with rufous barring.
Very large, heavy, dark upper mandible and pale lower mandible
About These Birds
Arctic Tern
The Arctic tern holds the record for the longest known migration of any animal, traveling roughly 70,000 km annually from Arctic to Antarctic and back. Over its 30-year lifespan, it may fly the equivalent of three round trips to the Moon. This remarkable bird experiences more daylight than any other creature on Earth.
Laughing Kookaburra
The laughing kookaburra is the largest kingfisher in the world, famous for its raucous laughing call that has become an iconic sound of the Australian bush. Despite being a kingfisher, it rarely eats fish, preferring terrestrial prey. Family groups perform chorus calls at dawn and dusk to mark their territory.