Male © John C. Mittermeier eBird S16311927 Macaulay Library ML 177674631
Female © John C. Mittermeier
Male © Tony Palliser
Female © John C. Mittermeier

Shovel-billed Kookaburra Dacelo rex

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Identification

POWERED BY MERLIN

A huge, rare kingfisher of rainforest interior from lowlands to mid-mountains. Its unnaturally large bill makes it look almost unrecognisable as a kingfisher. Dark wing and head, rufous belly, broad collar and stripe behind the eye, white throat and a large blue rump. Uses its huge bill for unearthing its invertebrate prey on bare areas on the forest floor. Superficially similar to Rufous-bellied Kookaburra but has a dark instead of blue wing and a much deeper bill. Call, a far-carrying, medium-pitched, incessant piping “peeep!”.

POWERED BY MERLIN