Rufous-bellied Kookaburra

Overview

The rufous-bellied kookaburra (Dacelo gaudichaud), formerly known as Gaudichaud's kookaburra, is a species of kookaburra found in lowland New Guinea. It is significantly smaller than its relatives, weighing around 143 g and measuring approximately 28 cm in length.

Identification

• Black cap with blue-tinged wings and a pale, rufous belly.
• White bill in adults, which distinguishes it from other kookaburras with black bills; juveniles have dark-grey bills.
• Tail feathers are blue in males and rufous in females and immature birds.

Habitat

This species is widely distributed through the forests of lowland New Guinea. Unlike other kookaburras that prefer open country, it occupies dense rainforests, typically found in the middle story of the tropical forest.

Diet

It flies out swiftly from perches to seize large insects from trees, capable of sharp twists and turns around dense vegetation. It occasionally hunts small vertebrates, though less frequently than larger woodland kookaburras.

Did you know?

Despite being clearly the most distant of the four kookaburra species genetically, the rufous-bellied kookaburra has been known to form infertile hybrids with all other species.