Laughing Kookaburra

Description:

The Laughing Kookaburra has a llarge head, prominent brown eyes, and a very large bill. The sexes are very similar, although the female averages larger and has less blue to the rump than the male. They have a white or cream-coloured body and head with a dark brown stripe through each eye and more faintly over the top of the head. The wings and back are brown with sky blue spots on the shoulders. The tail is rusty reddish-orange with dark brown bars and white tips on the feathers. The heavy bill is black on top and bone coloured on the bottom. It is possibly the largest kingfisher, and generally the heaviest.

Habitat:

This beautiful Kookaburra was sitting in a tree in school oval at the Wooroolin Wetlands.

Notes:

The Laughing Kookaburra is similar to the Blue-winged Kookaburra (spotting: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/138...) with two of the major visual differences being the amount of blue on the wings, and the eyes. The Laughing Kookaburra has prominent brown eyes and the Blue-winged Kookaburra has distinctive pale eyes. Reference: The Michael Morcombe eGuide to Australian Birds, Mobile App. Reference: http://birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/laug...