laughing jackass noun a kookaburra, Dalceonovaeguineae; a well-known Australian bird with a loud laugh-like call AUSTRALIA,1798 Now but a little used term.
Other lads on look-out duty on other posts would not start out until Kukuburra the laughing jackass woke the camp with his ringing peals[.] — Ion L. Idriess, TheRedChief, p. 14, 1953