#blue winged

Blue-winged Kookaburra

The Blue-winged kookaburra is a shovel-billed kingfisher related to the Laughing kookaburra.  While the Laughing kookaburra has a call that sounds like it is laughing, the Blue-winged kookaburra’s call has been described as a maniacal cackling or barking.

Blue-winged kookaburras live in family groups  of up to eight individuals consisting of a breeding pair – who mate for life – their current brood of young and their offspring from previous years.  The offspring normally live with their parents for several years and help with caring for younger siblings, building nests and defending their  territory.  This helps them to perfect the skills they need to find a mate and establish a territory of their own.

Unlike many kingfishers, the Blue-winged does not fish.  Insects, lizards and frogs make up a high proportion of their diet.  They are native to New Guinea and Australia.