Eucalyptus forests, woodland, and suburban gardens throughout eastern and southwestern Australia.
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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
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.
Common Paradise-kingfisher
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Geographic Range & Migration
Laughing Kookaburra
Eastern Australia from Cape York to South Australia and Tasmania. Introduced to southwestern Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand.
Common Paradise-kingfisher
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Conservation Status
Least Concern
Laughing Kookaburra
Least Concern
Common Paradise-kingfisher
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
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
Common Paradise-kingfisher
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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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.
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More Birds in Family
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