Fun Blue Winged Kookaburra Facts For Kids

The blue-winged kookaburra (Dacelo leachii), also known as barking or howling jackass or Leach’s kookaburra, is primarily found in southern New Guinea and Australia. These birds can easily be spotted in Torres Strait, Brisbane, Queensland, moister parts of northern Australia, and Shark way of western Australia. These birds are mainly found in tropical and subtropical open woodlands.The blue-winged kookaburra is best known for its blue wings, brown heads, underparts and a long or heavy bill. The male blue-winged kookaburra has a blue tail, while the female kookaburras have a rufous tail with brown bars. Unlike other birds, blue-winged kookaburras are known for their maniacal cackling or barking sound. Also, the female blue-winged kookaburra resembles the laughing kookaburra.The average weight and length of blue-winged kookaburra birds are 0.57-0.72 lb (260-330 g) and 15-16.5 in (38-42 cm), respectively. These birds are carnivores and consume mainly insects, reptiles such as lizards, snakes, earthworms, frogs, crayfish, scorpions and spiders. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed the species in the Least Concern category.Keep on reading to learn more interesting facts about the blue-winged kookaburra. If you want to know more exciting information about different animals, check out these tawny owl facts and the pheasant facts.

Fun Blue-winged Kookaburra Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Lizards, frogs, crayfish, scorpions, spiders, snakes

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 3-4 eggs

How much do they weigh? 0.57-0.72 lb (260-330 g)

How long are they? 15-16.5 in (38-42 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Blue, brown, yellowish-white

Skin Type Feathers

What were their main threats? Loss Of Habitat, Rufous Owl, Red Goshawk

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Farmlands, Cane Fields, Clearings, Paperbark Swamps, Timber On Watercourses

Locations Australia, New Guinea

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Dacelo

Class Aves

Family Alcedinidae

Blue-Winged Kookaburra Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a blue-winged kookaburra?The blue-winged kookaburra is a large, non-migratory kingfisher belonging to the family of Alcedinidae. The blue-winged kookaburras are found in New Guinea and Australia. The bird is also known as barking or howling jackass or Leach’s kookaburra. The species consume mainly insects such as spiders, earthworms, and many more.What class of animal does a blue-winged kookaburra belong to?Blue-winged kookaburras belong to the class of Aves and Dacelo genus.How many blue-winged kookaburra are there in the world?There is no exact information related to the population of the blue-winged kookaburras. The birds are commonly found in several regions of Australia and New Guinea. But there are around more than 65 million laughing kookaburras, a similar species. The laughing kookaburra is also endemic to Australia and New Guinea.Where does a blue-winged kookaburra live?The blue-winged kookaburras are spread throughout southern New Guinea and Australia. The birds can easily be spotted in Torres Strait, Brisbane, Queensland, moister parts of northern Australia, and Shark Bay of western Australia.What is a blue-winged kookaburra’s habitat?These small birds are found in tropical and subtropical open woodlands, paperbark swamps, timber on watercourses, clearings, and farmlands.Who do blue-winged kookaburra live with?Like other species, blue-winged kookaburras are generally found in groups. The group consists of up to 12 individuals, including two adults, older siblings, and juveniles.How long does a blue-winged kookaburra live?We don’t have the exact information related to the lifespan of blue-winged kookaburras. Generally, all the species of kookaburras live for around 20 years, which includes the blue-winged and laughing kookaburra.How do they reproduce?Like other species, the blue-winged kookaburras follow the same process of breeding. The breeding season generally occurs between September to January. The male and female blue-winged kookaburras are involved in several courtship displays, like female calling like young bird and adopting a begging position while males reverting with an ‘oo’ sound.Their nests are made either on the soft wood of a baobab tree or natural tree hollows. The nests on the soft wood of a baobab tree are made around 82 ft (25 m) high. The incubation period lasts for 25-26 days, shared by the blue-winged kookaburras breeding pair. The female bird usually lays 3-4 eggs in each season, and the chicks generally live in the nests for 35-40 days.What is their conservation status?The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed the species in the Least Concern category as these birds are widely spread throughout New Guinea and Australia. However, the loss of habitat is becoming a prime concern for the blue-winged kookaburras.Blue-Winged Kookaburra Fun FactsWhat do blue-winged kookaburra look like?The blue-winged kookaburra is best known for its blue wings. The birds have brown heads and underparts, while they also possess a long and heavy bill. With their long bills, they prey on several reptiles and insects such as snakes, frogs, earthworms, and many more. They are large kingfishers.How cute are they?The blue-winged kookaburras are found in Australia and New Guinea. Apart from their beautiful wings and tails, they make different sounds. With the arrival of the breeding season, one could find a breeding pair making beautiful sounds. Also, these female birds make body movements that look so fascinating.How do they communicate?Like other birds, the blue-winged kookaburras use similar methods to communicate with each other. These birds are known for their maniacal cackling and barking sound. They also make unusual laughter sounds, while the laughter kookaburras are known for their human-like laughter.How big is a blue-winged kookaburra ?The blue-winged kookaburra is a large kingfisher, and the average weight and length of birds are 0.57-0.72 lb (260-330 g) and 15-16.5 in (38-42 cm), respectively. The birds are four times bigger than the weebills of Australia.How fast can a blue-winged kookaburra fly?The exact speed of the blue-winged kookaburra is still being studied. However, these birds are known for their alertness and activeness while catching their prey.How much does a blue-winged kookaburra weigh?Compared to other species of kookaburras, these small birds weigh around 0.57-0.72 lb (260-330 g).What are the male and female names of the species?There are no specific names given to the male and female blue-winged kookaburras. The male bird has a blue tail, unlike the females.What would you call a baby blue-winged kookaburra?No particular name is used to refer to the babies of the blue-winged kookaburras. People generally use terms such as chicks, juveniles to call the babies.What do they eat?Blue-winged kookaburras are carnivores and prey on insects, reptiles such as lizards and snakes, earthworms, frogs, crayfish, scorpions, spiders. But these birds are often killed by several bigger birds. The main predators of the birds are red goshawk and rufous owl.Are they dangerous?Generally, these small birds prefer to live in their own family groups. Some might attack humans if they feel threatened. Also, the birds are also seen attacking the windows and homes with their huge bills.Would they make a good pet?According to the NSW Native Animal Keepers’ Species List, blue-winged kookaburras are not allowed to be kept as pets. These birds belong to the wild, and a cage would never serve as their natural habitat. The government sometimes offer permits only if someone is keeping and taking care of an injured bird. People consider them intelligent birds, but it isn’t easy to keep them as pets.Did you know…Nicholas Aylward Vigors, an Irish zoologist, and Thomas Horsefield, an American naturalist, officially described the blue-winged kookaburra as a different species than the laughing kookaburra.Unlike blue-winged kookaburras, the laughing kookaburra is found in New Zealand as well.Are kookaburras born blind?After the incubation period of 26 days, the chicks are born naked and blind. Because of this, their parents and older siblings in the flock generally look after them for around 30-35 days.Why does a kookaburra laugh?The laughing kookaburra and other species generally make sharp laughter sounds to establish their rule among the family members. Also, these birds make such sounds as a courtship display during the breeding season.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our Nicobar pigeon facts or golden pheasant facts pages.You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring on one of our free printable Blue winged kookaburra coloring pages.

What type of animal is a blue-winged kookaburra?

The blue-winged kookaburra is a large, non-migratory kingfisher belonging to the family of Alcedinidae. The blue-winged kookaburras are found in New Guinea and Australia. The bird is also known as barking or howling jackass or Leach’s kookaburra. The species consume mainly insects such as spiders, earthworms, and many more.

Fun Blue-winged Kookaburra Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Lizards, frogs, crayfish, scorpions, spiders, snakes

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 3-4 eggs

How much do they weigh? 0.57-0.72 lb (260-330 g)

How long are they? 15-16.5 in (38-42 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Blue, brown, yellowish-white

Skin Type Feathers

What were their main threats? Loss Of Habitat, Rufous Owl, Red Goshawk

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Farmlands, Cane Fields, Clearings, Paperbark Swamps, Timber On Watercourses

Locations Australia, New Guinea

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Dacelo

Class Aves

Family Alcedinidae

Fun Blue-winged Kookaburra Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Lizards, frogs, crayfish, scorpions, spiders, snakes

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 3-4 eggs

How much do they weigh? 0.57-0.72 lb (260-330 g)

How long are they? 15-16.5 in (38-42 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Blue, brown, yellowish-white

Skin Type Feathers

What were their main threats? Loss Of Habitat, Rufous Owl, Red Goshawk

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Farmlands, Cane Fields, Clearings, Paperbark Swamps, Timber On Watercourses

Locations Australia, New Guinea

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Dacelo

Class Aves

Family Alcedinidae

Fun Blue-winged Kookaburra Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Lizards, frogs, crayfish, scorpions, spiders, snakes

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 3-4 eggs

How much do they weigh? 0.57-0.72 lb (260-330 g)

How long are they? 15-16.5 in (38-42 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Blue, brown, yellowish-white

Skin Type Feathers

What were their main threats? Loss Of Habitat, Rufous Owl, Red Goshawk

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Farmlands, Cane Fields, Clearings, Paperbark Swamps, Timber On Watercourses

Locations Australia, New Guinea

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Dacelo

Class Aves

Family Alcedinidae