The Blue-winged Kookaburra, Dacelo leachii, is a very large species of kingfisher with a total length of around 40 cm. Compared to the related Laughing Kookaburra, it is smaller, lacks a dark mask, has more blue in the wing, and (usually) a light-coloured eye. It is sexually dimorphic, with a blue tail in the male, and a rufous tail with blackish bars in the female.

The Blue-winged Kookaburra has a distribution from southern New Guinea and the moister parts of northern Australia, to southern Queensland across the Top End, and as far down the Western Australian coast as the Shark Bay area.

The scientific name commemorates the British zoologist William Elford Leach.

Widespread and common throughout its large range, the Blue-winged Kookabura is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Lester Bridge, SE Queensland, Australia

Gallery

Male in captivity