Black-backed Dwarf-kingfisher vs Laughing Kookaburra
Ceyx erithaca compared with Dacelo novaeguineae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black-backed Dwarf-kingfisher | Laughing Kookaburra |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ceyx erithaca | Dacelo novaeguineae |
| Order | Coraciiformes | Coraciiformes |
| Family | Alcedinidae | Alcedinidae |
| Conservation Status | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 43.0 cm (16.9 in) |
| Wingspan | 11.6 cm (4.6 in) | 65.0 cm (25.6 in) |
| Weight | 17.033333333333335 g (0.60 oz) | 340.0 g (11.99 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Insects, lizards, snakes, small mammals, birds, and crustaceans. A sit-and-wait predator that swoops from a … |
| Clutch Size | 3-7 | 1-5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Black-backed Dwarf-kingfisher only
Laughing Kookaburra only
Laughing Kookaburra
Eucalyptus forests, woodland, and suburban gardens throughout eastern and southwestern Australia.
Song & Call Comparison
Black-backed Dwarf-kingfisher
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
Black-backed Dwarf-kingfisher
Laughing Kookaburra
Eastern Australia from Cape York to South Australia and Tasmania. Introduced to southwestern Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Black-backed Dwarf-kingfisher
Laughing Kookaburra
How to Tell Them Apart
Black-backed Dwarf-kingfisher
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
Black-backed Dwarf-kingfisher
The Black-backed Dwarf-kingfisher is a near-threatened, jewel-like tiny kingfisher of the forest floor in the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. It has violet-blue upperparts, a bright orange-rufous head and underparts, and a red bill. It inhabits the dark forest interior near streams, hunting small fish, insects, and amphibians.
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.