Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Alcedinidae
Subfamily: Halcyoninae
Genus: Dacelo
Species: Dacelo novaeguineae
Common names: Laughing jackass, laughing kookaburra
Dacelo novaeguineae is a carnivorous bird in the kingfisher subfamily Halcyoninae, native to eastern mainland Australia; it has also been introduced to parts of New Zealand. It was introduced to Kawau Island in the 1850s. Now they are scattered populations reported in Northland at Ngunguru and south to the Waitakere Ranges. There have also reports of them being seen at the Banks Peninsula in the South Island.
They are a stout, stocky bird about 45 cm in length, with a large head, prominent brown eyes, and a very stout bill, black on top and bone-coloured on the bottom.
Male and female adults are similar in plumage, which is predominantly brown and white. They feed on mice, lizards, insects and small birds.
Breeding occurs during October to January and they place their nests in hollows in trees. A clutch of > 4 white eggs is laid with an incubation period of 22-24 days.
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