Black-capped Kingfisher vs Laughing Kookaburra
Halcyon pileata compared with Dacelo novaeguineae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black-capped Kingfisher | Laughing Kookaburra |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Halcyon pileata | Dacelo novaeguineae |
| Order | Coraciiformes | Coraciiformes |
| Family | Alcedinidae | Alcedinidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 43.0 cm (16.9 in) |
| Wingspan | 24.8 cm (9.8 in) | 65.0 cm (25.6 in) |
| Weight | 79.0 g (2.79 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 | 4-5 | 1-5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Laughing Kookaburra
Eucalyptus forests, woodland, and suburban gardens throughout eastern and southwestern Australia.
Song & Call Comparison
Black-capped 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-capped Kingfisher
Laughing Kookaburra
Eastern Australia from Cape York to South Australia and Tasmania. Introduced to southwestern Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Black-capped Kingfisher
Laughing Kookaburra
How to Tell Them Apart
Black-capped 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-capped Kingfisher
The Black-capped Kingfisher is a Vulnerable, vividly colored kingfisher of South and Southeast Asian coasts and wetlands, with a striking black cap, white collar, blue-purple upperparts, and rufous underparts. It breeds in East Asia and winters south to South and Southeast Asia along coastal mangroves, tidal flats, and wetland margins. It feeds on fish, crabs, and large insects.
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.