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Blue-winged Kookaburra                                                                                          

Dacelo leachii                                                                                                                                                                  

Size  38-40cm. A large Kingfisher with staring white eyes, a heavy, large bill which is dark on top, off-white head finely streaked with dark brown, an off-white abdomen with fine barring, brown back and bright, light blue in the wings and a blue rump. The male has a bright blue tail, the female a barred rufous tail.

The call is loud and maniacal and ends abruptly. Morning and evening songs by the family group announce territory.

Breeds August to January, nesting in an unlined chamber in tree hollows or tree-termite nests. Eggs are whitish and rounded, with 1-4 laid. Incubation period is 23-25 days with the young flying after 35 days.

Foods are small reptiles, frogs, insects and rodents.

The Blue-winged Kookaburra to restricted to the northern Australian coastal areas and they live along creeks in moist woodlands, canefields and swampy paperbark areas. They are sedentary but uncommon and relatively shy. They are territorial and live in small family groups and intruders will be chased from the territory.

Birdwatchers to Daintree will find the Blue-winged Kookaburra near Stewart Creek and in Daintree Village on the corner of Dagmar St or beside the oval. They will often feed at dusk under the streetlights in town.

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