AUSTRALIAN BIRDS OF MY AREA.
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LAUGHING KOOKABURRA.

Kookaburra in stick posture.

The Laughing Kookaburra is perhaps the one bird that any Australian or visitor to Australia, associates with this country.
Their characteristic call, beginning with a subdued cackle and developing into a loud,raucous laugh,is never forgotton once heard. In fact the Kookaburra call is never by one bird, but in concert with at least one or two others.
During its call or laugh the bird lifts its beak up while its body shakes.

The picture at left shows a Kookaburra in the stick posture.It assumes this position when overflown by a larger bird such as an Eagle or even an aeroplane. The posture gives it camouflage from the air.

Like the Currawong ,the Kookaburra is part of a tribe,consisting of the main mating pair plus a collection of off-spring.Mating also occurs with the off-spring of previous broods.
If you feed a Kookaburra- its favourite food seems to be fish or meat- it will show no fear near you and is quite happy to interact with human beings.

The normal food it will seek out is live and includes small snakes,lizards,worms.After capturing its live prey it will hold it in its beak and bash the life out of it against the tree branch. I once was eating fish and chips in a park and gave a nearby Kookaburra the remainder of my chips.As the chips were long and vaguely snake -looking, the bird would bash each chip against a branch before eating. I have watched a Kookaburra dive from a tree branch almost a dead weight and land head first with its beak stuck into the ground.When it pulled its beak out it contained a juicy worm. As you can guess,its head,beak and neck are very powerful and the first time you see a Kookaburra up close is a bit daunting until you get to know them and realize that they are quite friendly.

Laughing Kookaburra by John Gould.

laughing kookaburra.

A handsome bird they certainly are with their light beige-coloured head,a dark-brown streak behind the eye,a dark back and flecks of pale blue in their wings showing their links with their tropical cousins.
They are territorial birds, building their nests in tree hollows or in a hole in a termites nest high in a tree. All of the clan co-operate in rearing the young,in keeping with their tribal nature.

Laughing Kookaburra

The picture (Above) shows the Kookaburra in a characteristic pose displaying the pale-blue flecks of colour in its wings.

Laughing Kookaburra Location.

Laughing Kookaburra Location Map.

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