The laughing kookaburra got its common name from the loud territorial sound that it makes. The calls are often mistaken for many different animals, such as donkeys or monkeys. As small carnivores, kookaburras play an integral role in the ecosystem by controlling small animal populations.

The noisy territorial call of the Laughing Kookaburra is one of the best known sounds of the Australian bush. A mix of cackling ‘laughter’, chuckles and hoots, this famous call is most often heard at dawn and dusk. Often given in chorus as a pair or family group, the call is often given in response to neighbouring group, evidently to establish territory boundaries. Laughing Kookaburras make a number of other vocalisations relating to courtship, feeding, contact, and danger.