Kingfishers are a family of small to medium-sized brightly colored birds characterized by their large heads, long pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. They are found worldwide near rivers, lakes, and coastlines where they primarily feed on fish and other aquatic prey.
Kingfishers are known for their loud, rattling calls that are often described as sounding like a screech or a laugh. While there are over 90 different species of kingfishers found globally, some of the birds that make sounds similar to the iconic vocalizations of kingfishers include:
Kookaburras
Kookaburras are large kingfishers native to Australia and New Guinea. The laughing kookaburra is the best known species and is renowned for its call that resembles a loud human laugh or cry. The vocalizations consist of a series of rapid ha-ha-ha-ha notes that echo through the forest. Kookaburras use their calls to establish territory and attract mates.
Belted Kingfishers
The belted kingfisher is a species found across North America near lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. Their rattling call is a series of twelve or more harsh, mechanical sounding notes described as re-re-re-re-re-re-re. Belted kingfishers use their calls to communicate with mates and ward off intruders.
Woodland Kingfishers
Woodland kingfishers are found throughout sub-Saharan Africa. They make a high-pitched, dry trilling sound often transliterated as a kek-kek-kek or chichic. Their calls are used to stay in contact with others, defend territories, and sound alarm.
Collared Kingfishers
Collared kingfishers inhabit Indonesia and islands of the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The male’s territorial call is a loud series of 6-9 staccato notes described as a machine-gun rattle or liquid laugh. Females make a softer, chattering ke-ke-ke-kek when defending nest areas.
Characteristics of Kingfisher Calls
Although the specific vocalizations vary between kingfisher species, there are some common features that give their calls a similar quality:
- Loud volume – Kingfisher calls are typically very loud and can carry over long distances.
- Harsh, rattling tones – Many kingfishers make rattling, clicking, or whirring sounds.
- Repetitive notes – Calls consist of a series of repetitive, staccato notes strung together.
- High pitch – Some kingfisher calls have a high-pitched, screeching quality.
- Laughing/cackling quality – The calls of kookaburras and some other kingfishers have a laughing or hysterical sound.
- Mechanical sound – The vocalizations can sound machine-like and metallic.
These acoustic qualities allow the calls to pierce through dense forest and travel long distances near open water. The repetitive notes also help identify the birds and communicate specific messages to other individuals.
Reasons for Similar Sounds
There are several reasons why kingfishers and kingfisher-like birds have evolved to make similar vocalizations:
- Carry over distance – The loud, piercing calls allow communication over large distances near rivers and lakes where kingfishers hunt and nest.
- Penetrate vegetation – The repetitive, rattling nature helps the calls penetrate dense vegetation in forests and woodlands.
- Distinct identity – The unique sounds identify the birds as kingfishers and distinguish them from other bird families.
- Territory defense – The calls advertise occupied territories and ward off rival kingfishers.
- Attracting mates – The sounds attract potential mates and facilitate pair bonding.
- Phylogenetic relatedness – Birds in the same taxonomic families often make structurally similar calls. The kingfishers and kookaburras share common evolutionary ancestors.
Other Bird Species with Similar Sounds
While kookaburras and other kingfisher-like birds have the most similar vocalizations, some other bird species make sounds reminiscent of kingfishers:
Green Bee-Eaters
Found in Africa, southern Asia, and Australia, these slim, brightly colored birds make a melodic rolling chirrup that cascades down the scale. It lacks the harshness of true kingfisher calls but has a liquid, laughing quality.
Rollers
Rollers are chunky, crow-sized birds found across Africa and parts of Asia. They make a rattling trill or shriek that ascends and descends the scale. It has a mechanical, kingfisher-like texture.
Motmots
These colorful, tropical birds from Mexico and Central and South America give a loud, reverberating call made up of a few whistled notes that drop off at the end. Their territorial call has a rolling, rattling quality reminiscent of kingfishers.
Conclusion
Kingfishers have a signature vocalization that is loud, repetitive, rattling, and can sound like human laughter. Birds like kookaburras, other kingfishers, bee-eaters, rollers, and motmots make sounds similar to the iconic kingfisher call. This is due to phylogenetic relatedness in some cases but also an adaptation to carrying over distance near water and penetrating vegetation when defending territories and attracting mates.
