Belted Kingfisher vs Laughing Kookaburra
Megaceryle alcyon comparé à Dacelo novaeguineae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Belted Kingfisher | Laughing Kookaburra |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Megaceryle alcyon | Dacelo novaeguineae |
| Ordre | Coraciiformes | Coraciiformes |
| Famille | Alcedinidae | Alcedinidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 33,0 cm (13.0 in) | 43,0 cm (16.9 in) |
| Envergure | 53,0 cm (20.9 in) | 65,0 cm (25.6 in) |
| Poids | 150,0 g (5.29 oz) | 340,0 g (11.99 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Primarily small fish caught by plunge-diving from a perch or hover. Also takes crayfish, frogs, … | Insects, lizards, snakes, small mammals, birds, and crustaceans. A sit-and-wait predator that swoops from a … |
| Taille de la couvée | 6-7 | 1-5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Belted Kingfisher
Rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, estuaries, and coastlines with clear water and suitable perches. Nests in burrows dug into earthen banks.
Laughing Kookaburra
Eucalyptus forests, woodland, and suburban gardens throughout eastern and southwestern Australia.
Song & Call Comparison
Belted Kingfisher
A loud, rattling 'klee-klee-klee-klee' — mechanical and penetrating. Given in flight along rivers. Also a harsh 'kekekek' near nest. Far louder than Common 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
Belted Kingfisher
North America from Alaska and Canada to Central America and the Caribbean. Northern populations migrate south in winter.
Laughing Kookaburra
Eastern Australia from Cape York to South Australia and Tasmania. Introduced to southwestern Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand.
Statut de conservation
Belted Kingfisher
Laughing Kookaburra
How to Tell Them Apart
Belted Kingfisher
Blue-grey upperparts with a shaggy crest and a white collar. Males have a single blue-grey breast band; females have an additional rufous belly band.
Long, heavy, straight, dark dagger-like 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
Belted Kingfisher
The belted kingfisher is unusual in that the female is more colorful than the male, sporting an additional rufous belly band. These noisy birds announce their territory with a distinctive rattling call. They excavate nesting burrows up to 2.4 meters deep into riverbanks using their heavy bills.
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.