The kookaburra is the Australian bird known for a loud laughing call that inspired its common name. The best-known species is the laughing kookaburra, a kingfisher native to eastern and southeastern Australia.
Its call is a territorial vocalisation rather than human-like laughter. Family groups use it to advertise ownership of territory and help maintain contact. The sound has become a familiar feature of Australian bush soundscapes and is often used in films and recordings to suggest an Australian setting.
Laughing kookaburras are large kingfishers with white and brown plumage and a broad bill. They usually hunt from perches, dropping onto prey such as insects, reptiles, small mammals, and other animals. Unlike many kingfishers, they do not depend primarily on catching fish.
Kookaburras often live in family groups, with younger birds helping adults defend territory and raise offspring. The blue-winged kookaburra is another Australian species, but its call differs and it is more strongly associated with northern Australia.