{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute	Mangrove Kingfisher	Laughing Kookaburra
Scientific Name	Halcyon senegaloides	Dacelo novaeguineae
Order	Coraciiformes	Coraciiformes
Family	Alcedinidae	Alcedinidae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern
Length	—	43.0 cm (16.9 in)
Wingspan	21.0 cm (8.3 in)	65.0 cm (25.6 in)
Weight	61.5 g (2.17 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	1-5
Population Trend	—	—

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Size Comparison

Body Length

Mangrove Kingfisher —

Laughing Kookaburra 43.0 cm

Wingspan

Mangrove Kingfisher 21.0 cm

Laughing Kookaburra 65.0 cm

Weight

Mangrove Kingfisher 61.5 g

Laughing Kookaburra 340.0 g

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

🌲 Forest 🌿 Wetland

Mangrove Kingfisher only

🏖️ Coastal

Laughing Kookaburra only

None

Laughing Kookaburra

Eucalyptus forests, woodland, and suburban gardens throughout eastern and southwestern Australia.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Song & Call Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

Mangrove Kingfisher

Laughing Kookaburra

Song

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 ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Geographic Range & Migration

Mangrove Kingfisher

Laughing Kookaburra

Eastern Australia from Cape York to South Australia and Tasmania. Introduced to southwestern Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Mangrove Kingfisher

Least Concern

Laughing Kookaburra

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

Mangrove Kingfisher

Laughing Kookaburra

Plumage

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.

Bill

Very large, heavy, dark upper mandible and pale lower mandible

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

About These Birds

Mangrove Kingfisher

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.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Related Comparisons

Common Kingfisher vs Laughing Kookaburra

same-family

Turquoise-fronted Amazon vs Laughing Kookaburra

look-alike

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

More from Alcedinidae

African Dwarf-kingfisher Ispidina lecontei African Pygmy-kingfisher Ispidina picta Amazon Kingfisher Chloroceryle amazona American Pygmy-kingfisher Chloroceryle aenea All Alcedinidae birds →

Explore the Nature FYI Family

🧬 SpeciesFYI

Species & Taxonomy

🦕 DinoFYI

6,000+ Dinosaurs

🐟 FishFYI

Fish & Marine Life

🌿 PlantFYI

379,000+ Plants