Very large kingfisher with a lot of blue in the wings and tail.
Not listed
Indigenous: Gugubara, O-Gorrowkorrow, Wurralg, Gorrowkkorrow, Garrukal', Gurrb-Gurrb, Gorrpgorrp
At a glance
FamilyKingfishers
SizeMedium
RarityCommon
HabitatFound in family groups of up to 12 individuals, it lives in open savannah woodland and Melaleuca swamps, as well as farmlands such as sugarcane plantations.
Best timeMost reliable in Queensland from June to October.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Marc Anderson
Range map
Range map
200approx hotspots
68945approx records
3states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Note pale eye and pale, finely streaked head. Occurs across northern Australia in a variety of woodland habitats including parks and gardens. Often perches on powerlines.
Behavior
Its call is quite different to the Laughing Kookaburra, typically a loud rolling squawk and various loud yapping sounds.
Gallery
Regional timing
Northern Territory
Queensland
Western Australia
New South Wales
Australian Capital Territory