Blue-winged kookaburra Blue-winged kookaburra The blue-winged kookaburra ("Dacelo leachii") is a large species of kingfisher native to northern Australia and southern New Guinea. Measuring around , it is slightly smaller than the more familiar laughing kookaburra. It has cream-coloured upper- and underparts barred with brownish markings. It has blue wings and brown shoulders and blue rump. 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 was first collected by Sir Joseph Banks in 1770, but was initially overlooked and confused with the laughing kookaburra, and was finally
The Australian Bird Guide is an extensive index at the back of the book. This is then followed by details on how the guide was constructed, their sources of information and specifically what area and species were covered. This is followed by sections on identifying birds and on birding in Australia. Before the detailed description of species commences there is a guide for birders to the evolution and classification of birds. While this may not be expected in such a work this section “it will get birders thinking”. This section was written by Dr Leo Joseph of the Australian National Wildlife Collection, CSIRO (Commonwealth