kookaburra | bird | Britannica.com Kookaburra See Article History Alternative Titles: bushman’s clock, Dacelo gigas, laughing jackass, laughing kookaburra Kookaburra, also called laughing kookaburra or laughing jackass, (species Dacelo novaeguineae), eastern Australian bird of the kingfisher family (Alcedinidae), whose call sounds like fiendish laughter. This gray-brown, woodland-dwelling bird reaches a length of 43 cm (17 inches), with an 8- to 10-cm (3.2- to 4-inch) beak. In its native habitat it eats invertebrates and small vertebrates, including venomous snakes. In western Australia and New Zealand , where it has been introduced, the kookaburra has been known to attack chickens and ducklings. Defending their territory year-round, a monogamous pair of these birds lays two clutches of two to four white eggs in its nest in a tree hole. The young often remain with the parents and help raise the next year’s brood.

Kookaburra (Dacelo gigas) Bucky Reeves—The National Audubon Society Collection/Photo Researchers Listen: kookaburra Audio clip of a laughing kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae). Also sometimes called the “bushman’s clock,” the kookaburra is heard very early in the morning and just after sunset. The related blue-winged kookaburra (D. leachii), which does not “laugh,” is found across northern Australia. Learn More in these related articles: in kingfisher Stretching 43 cm (17 inches) long and weighing 465 grams (16 ounces), the largest of all kingfishers is the kookaburra, known throughout Australia for its laughing call. The kookaburra’s white head has a brown eye stripe, the back and wings are dark brown, and the underparts are white. Often found in urban and suburban areas, it can become quite tame and may be fed by hand. A member of the...

1 Reference found in Britannica Articles Assorted Reference kookaburra - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) The loud call of the kookaburra, a woodland bird of Australia, sounds like maniacal laughter. The bird and its distinctive call have become a symbol of the Australian bush. Native to eastern Australia, it has also been introduced into western Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. It is also known as the laughing kookaburra. Its species name is Dacelo gigas. Article History Corrections? Updates? Help us improve this article! Contact our editors with your feedback. MEDIA FOR: You have successfully emailed this. Error when sending the email. Try again later. Edit Mode Submit Tips For Editing We welcome suggested improvements to any of our articles. You can make it easier for us to review and, hopefully, publish your contribution by keeping a few points in mind. Encyclopædia Britannica articles are written in a neutral objective tone for a general audience. You may find it helpful to search within the site to see how similar or related subjects are covered. Any text you add should be original, not copied from other sources.

At the bottom of the article, feel free to list any sources that support your changes, so that we can fully understand their context. (Internet URLs are the best.) Your contribution may be further edited by our staff, and its publication is subject to our final approval. Unfortunately, our editorial approach may not be able to accommodate all contributions. Submit Thank You for Your Contribution! Our editors will review what you've submitted, and if it meets our criteria, we'll add it to the article. Please note that our editors may make some formatting changes or correct spelling or grammatical errors, and may also contact you if any clarifications are needed. Uh Oh There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later. Close Date Published: May 25, 2010 URL: Access Date: January 19, 2017 Share Kookaburra - All About The Kookaburra - Birds Kookaburra - All About The Kookaburra - Birds Popular Pages Follow It's Nature on Facebook Kookaburra Kookaburras are extremely large kingfisher type birds which are native to Australia.

The name kookaburra is the call that the bird actually makes hence its name. The call they give is very unmistakable and very loud. It echoes and some say it sounds very much like human laughter of the hysterical variety, and some people find it eerie to hear in the evening hours. Kookaburra Kookaburras hunt during the day for various live prey, and rest at night. There are four types of Kookaburra which are found in Australia, and scientists believe that they have evolved in an isolated area, when perhaps Australia and New Guinea were more distant from each other than they are now. Kookaburras are one of the carnivorous birds, who eat snakes, insects, most rodents and raw meat, which they hunt, but also which they may scavenge from unsuspecting humans. Some of them will take human handouts of food and will eat cooked meat, even very hot cooked meat if it is left unattended on an outdoor barbeque. Kookaburras breed easily, producing two to four offspring in the springtime months, which the mother cares for and feeds. They also adapt well to human company and will breed in captivity without major problems.

They enjoy companionship and do make wonderful pets, being very affectionate with people. Their diet of mice and beef is difficult for many people to be able to afford and the noises they make many people find unpalatable. For those who don’t mind this, they are one of the better bird companions. Kookaburra In the wild the Kookaburra will eat the babies of other birds, snakes and many smaller reptiles. They may also take in chicks and such things as birds of prey eat. Find out more about the Kookaburra over at Wikipedia » See what you can find... lena u know the picture with the two kookaburras thats on the tree on the top picture, do u know the name of it or do it just called a kookaburra? Lena P.S I bought the toy of it today even though i’m only 9 and a half years old. jack so im only 8 and a fourth years old and i have the toy kookaburras are an amazing creature you should learn about it. p.s. i dont know what the picture is called.

ripa btw this is really great info but… i need a lot more info about kookaburras parpar its called the kooka burra Jack Laughing Kookaburras, Laughing Kookaburra Pictures, Laughing Kookaburra Facts - National Geographic Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man Please add a "relative" entry to your dictionary. The laughing kookaburra is well known both as a symbol of Australia’s birdlife and as the inspirational “merry, merry king of the bush” from the children’s song. Native to the eucalyptus forests of eastern Australia, the laughing kookaburra is the largest member of the Kingfisher family, with females weighing up to one pound (455 grams) and growing to 18 inches (45 centimeters) in length. Its beak can reach 4 inches (10 centimeters) long and is used to snatch a variety of invertebrates and small vertebrates, including the occasional small snake. Since being introduced in western Australia and New Zealand, the kookaburra has angered farmers by preying on their fowl.

The laughing kookaburra has dark brown wing plumage and a white head and underside. Dark brown eye stripes run across its face and its upper bill is black. Its reddish-colored tail is patterned with black bars. It gets its moniker from its manic laughter-like call. And its early dawn and dusk cackling chorus earned it the nickname “bushman’s clock.” Laughing kookaburras are monogamous, territorial birds that nest in tree holes. Females lay one to five eggs, which are tended by a collective unit composed of parents and elder siblings. Fledgling kookaburras generally remain with their parents to help care for the subsequent clutch. Laughing kookaburras are not currently considered threatened although loss of habitat is a primary threat to the birds. They have adapted well to human development and often inhabit suburban areas, which provide both food and shelter.

Kookaburra Fact Sheet Dacelo is an anagram of Alcedo (another genus of kingfisher) (Legge 2004) Common name: Laughing kookaburra, for distinctive calls of "cacophonic chorusing" (Legge 2004) Other names include the "bushman's clock" and "breakfast bird", because it calls at dawn (Legge 2004) The correct scientific name is D. novaeguineae, although the species is often referred to as D. gigas. D. novaeguineae was the name given earlier in the same year as D.

gigas (Woodall 2001) Sibley & Ahlquist (1990) and Fry et al.(1992) used Dacelonidae for this family but Halcyonidae (or Halcyoninae if it is considered a subfamily) has been used subsequently (Moyle 2006) Evolutionary History Quasisyndactylus was a small bird with a long, flattened beak that lived some 40-48 million years ago in Messel, Germany (Mayr 2005).

A photo of the Quasisyndactylus fossil can be seen at: Like all modern kingfishers, the three forward-facing toes of Quasisyndacylus are attached for much of their length (an example of "syndactyly") This fossil is the earliest known ancestor of motmots, todies, bee-eaters and kingfishers Kingfishers probably evolved in the northern hemisphere, according to DNA analysis (Moyle 2006) Studies based on modern species distributions had earlier suggested origins in rainforests of Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Guinea (Woodall 2001) Fossil kingfishers also found in: Wyoming, U.S.A.

and France 30-40 million years ago (Eocene-Oligocene) (Olson 1976) (Becker 1986) (Mourer-Chauviré 1995) Australia 5-25 million years ago (Miocene) rocks (Boles 1997) Tree kingfishers such as kookaburras (Halcyonids) are widespread in old world tropics today, especially in Australia and New Guinea but also in Africa (Moyle 2006) Todies and motmots are the closest relatives of the kingfishers (Moyle 2006) Cultural History Australian Aboriginal tribes have numerous legends about kookaburras (Reed 1998) (Legge 2004) Many legends explain the origins of kookaburras' calling at sunrise: a Creator assigned kookaburras the task of waking all the other animals Other legends attribute kookaburra calls to their mean-spirited and derisive laughter at others' misfortunes Bidjigal aboriginals near Sydney say Kookaburra and Snake were once good friends until Snake ate

 an egg of the kookaburras; after that, kookaburras ate snakes Kookaburras' snake-killing prowress endeared them to Australians as they farmed their new territories; they are common in poetry, song, illustration (Legge 2004) The kookaburra poem, written in 1932 by Marion Sinclair, became a popular children's round still sung today (See: ) In 2011, the Australian band Men at Work lost a copyright infringement lawsuit brought against their use of the kookaburra song in a flute riff in their 1980s song Down Under (Smith 2011) Australians chose the bold and confident kookaburra as the mascot for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney DISTRIBUTION & HABITAT (Blakers et al.

1984) (Cooper et al. 2008) (Fletcher 1907) (Fry et al. 1992) (Legge 2000a,b,c, 2004) (Troup 2009) (Woodall 2001) Laughing Kookaburra distribution. Click here or on map for detailed distribution (IUCN) Distribution Dacelo n. minor - Eastern coast Australia, Cape York Peninsula to Cooktown (Woodall 2001) Dacelo n. novaeguineae - Eastern coast Australia, south Cape York Peninsula, to Flinders Range in South Australia, and Cape Otway in New South Wales Introduced to Tasmania in early 1900s (Fletcher 1907); presently well-established there (Cooper et al. 2008) Introduced to Western Australia and are well-established there (Cooper et al.

2008) Introduced in South Australia's Kangaroo Island in 1926 and a small population remains (Blakers 1984) Ranges of laughing kookaburra overlap with blue-winged kookaburra from Cape York Peninsula to Brisbane (Fry et al. 1992) Introduced in late 1800s near Auckland, New Zealand on Kawau Island and the adjacent mainland; a small New Zealand population remains (Troup 2009) Superb vision for detecting prey from above Visual field is composed of two areas rich in receptors (fovea): Within a single eye, vision is sharpened by monocular fovea By rotating the head, a second area of receptors in each eye can be used together for binocular vision to detect movement and position Falcons use similar head-tracking movements Other predatory birds such as eagles and kites track prey more often with their eyes rather than head turning BEHAVIOR & ECOLOGY (Baker 2004) (Buttemer et al. 2003) (Cooper et al. 2008) (Geiser et al.

2006) (Higgins 1999) (Keast 1985) (Legge 2000c, 2004) (Legge & Cockburn 2000) (Moloney et al. 2002) (Parry 1970) (Schodde & Tideman 1997) (Zanette & Jenkins 2000): Social behavior Complex social relationships Breed in nuclear family groups with a monogamous pair assisted by up to six helper-birds (Legge & Cockburn 2000) Roost communally at night (Cooper et al. 2008) Juveniles may roost separately from adults (Higgins 1999) Activity Cycle (Cooper et al.

2008) Kookaburras make most of their calls each day before dawn (Keast 1985) Active during the day (diurnal); roost for an average of 12 hours a night In wild, remain roosting longer when weather is unfavorably wet or cold Reduce basal metabolic rate significantly at night to conserve energy (Buttemer et al. 2003) Body temperature at night is lowered by up to 9.1°C (16.4°F) Also use huddling behavior while roosting to stay warm Most birds (like owl) with low nighttime metabolism and temperatures also have low values during the day; kookaburras' metabolism and temperatures in daytime are much higher Wild kookaburras elevate body temperature in daytime by generating their own heat; they don't wait for the sun to warm them up Such an extreme variation in body temperature is an example of heterothermy (fluctuation in temperatures seen in animals that undergo hibernation or a daily torpor) Heterothermy is more common in mammals than in birds (Geiser et al.

2006) Captive birds do not undergo such temperature fluctuations, presumably because (Geiser et al.

2006): Their food supply is steady and predictable; energy conservation is thus less important They may not feel secure enough to enter a largely unresponsive state of torpor Territory/Range Size Territories range from 16-244 ha (39.5-603 acres) Larger groups have larger territories Territorial Behavior Unlike other kingfishers, kookaburras are territorial year-round and also sedentary (don't migrate) (Schodde & Tideman 1997) Birds are careful to honor territorial boundaries (Parry 1970) In one experiment by a researcher, a kookaburra would not cross into a neighbor's territory even to grab food tossed across the invisible line (Parry 1970) Much energy is expended in complex, boundary-marking displays by the whole group (see below, Displays ) Aggression Kookaburra chicks display significant aggression from the moment they hatch; in studies near Canberra, Australia (Legge 2000c, 2004): Chicks use the sharp downturned tip of their upper beak to attack nestmates; this hook is absent by the time the chick fledges 33

% of nests with two or three young had chicks killed by nestmates (siblicide) Other species of birds that experience this type of aggression have siblicide rates over 90% Factors creating conditions for siblicide: First and second chicks hatch close together in time (fight to establish dominance) When these two eggs are of similar size (they fight to establish dominance) Where a male chick is born first, a female second (male's initial dominance from birth order quickly challenged by faster-growing larger female) When the group lacks a male helper (females are poor helpers, chicks not as well provisioned by females) An underlying reason for siblicide is female's physical condition at time of laying Eggs don't begin developing until the female begins sitting on them (incubating) Females in good condition can begin incubating each egg as it is laid; they don't need to keep hunting between egg-laying days Delay of incubation until all the eggs are in the nest produces eggs that hatch close in time - a hyper-competitive situation Levels of aggression decline with each day as clear dominance patterns are established Aggression between fledglings is common in the form of "sparring" (Parry 1973) Opp

onents grab each others' bills Twist bodies back in forth to throw opponents off balance Serious injury rare Aerial displays in ritual defense of territory (Higgins 1999) (Parry 1970) Trapeze flight: A defense perch is occupied near the boundary, in view of a similar perch across the boundary in neighbor's territory A bird swoops from the perch to a nearby tree in its own territory, lands, and returns A second bird may begin to swoop as the first bird returns; they pass in mid-air like trapeze artists Following this display, the birds may pause to allow birds in the neighboring territory to do the same display Alternating swoops to a tree and back may continue for as long as 30 minutes Much loud calling (by the the rest of the group) may accompany these displays Circle flight One bird flies above trees Makes quick dash into neighboring birds' territory Flies in large circles around neighboring birds Much loud calling by the whole group ensues Agressive posture threats, then actual physical attacks are used to rid a territory of an intentionally or accidentally invading kookaburra (Parry 1970) (Higgins 1999) Wings held down with rump exposed Head and

 upper body thrust forward Feathers made sleek Tail wagged up and down Vigorous attack and chase of intruder may follow Alarm posture (Higgins 1999): Kookaburra parents make their nests in small tree hollows.

These nests may be used for many years. Nesting Parents engage in ritual tree-hollow inspecting (Legge 2004) Height of chosen nest above ground varies greatly, from 20 cm (7.9 in) to 60 m (196.9 ft) Parents make little attempt to prepare the hollow for nesting Nest may sometimes be made in a termite nest in a tree (Fry et al. 1992) Only one nesting attempt per season (Legge 2000a) Tree hollow nest may be used for many years (Fry et al.

1992) Egg Laying/Incubation (Legge 2000a,b,c 2004) Eggs laid in Australian spring (September-December) Female usually lays three eggs and sometimes two; rarely one or as many as five (Parry 1970) Eggs rounded to elliptical, smooth, luminous white (Foreshaw & Cooper 1983) Usually 1-2 days between laying of each egg; up to 4 days between Female incubates eggs at night; male and other helpers assist in daytime All members of the group (parents plus helpers) develop a brood patch on the belly This area of unfeathered skin that is rich in blood vessels helps keep eggs warm Eggs begin to develop only when reaching a critical temperature after the female begins sitting on them (incubating): If she begins after all eggs are laid, then nestlings hatch at about the same time This results in a hyper-competitive situation and increases the likeliness of siblicide If she starts incubating immediately upon laying the first egg, then that chick will hatch sooner than the others (decreasing the likeliness of siblicide) The dominant male incubates eggs the most often;

 the dominant female the next most often; female helpers the least Life Stages Young kookaburras begin to laugh at 6 weeks of age and have perfected it by 3 months.

Nestlings (Legge 2004) Nestling break out of eggs using conical egg tooth on top of their bill Third hatchlings rarely survive; severe aggression by other two chicks results in a 50% survival rate of the third-born chick Pin feather stubs visible under skin at 4 days; emerge 7-11 days (Parry 1970) Eyes fully open by day 10 (Higgins 1999) Food is delivered to nestlings whole (often tenderized by bashing on ground or against tree or rock) Parents plus all helpers forage for food for the chicks; with each additional helper, each helper reduces its provsioning efforts (Legge 2000c) Young Kookaburra keep stubby pin feathers until nearly the time of fledging (Legge 2004) This is a trait of all members of the order Coraciiformes (bee-eaters, rollers, hornbills, kingfishers) Trait perhaps serves to keep feathers from becoming frayed and soiled while young live in a confined tree hollow Adults don't remove feces from hollow; older birds attempt to aim feces out the opening but often miss

 (Woodall 2001) Feathers of the head region open through the shafts around day 32 (Smith 1976) Fledging at 33-39 days (Parry 1970) After this relatively long nesting period, young can fly well when they leave the tree hole nest (Parry 1970) One, occasionally two chicks are fledged (Legge 2004) Begin to laugh at 6 weeks; perfect the laugh by 3 months (Woodall 2001) Young are typically darker on chest than adults Adults Sexual maturity at 1 year; most delay breeding for several years (Woodall 2001) Longevity (BirdLife International 2012) (IUCN Redlist 2011) (Moloney et al.

2002) Population Status 2009: estimated 65,000,000 (BirdLife International 2012) Population suspected to be in decline from habitat destruction (BirdLife International 2012) Conservation IUCN Status: Least Concern (IUCN Redlist 2011) The species' very large range 2,420,000 km sq (934,367.23 mi sq) prevents it from being considered Vulnerable CITES Status: Not listed Threats to survival Habitat destruction and fragmentation, especially clearing of eucalypt woodlands and removal of trees with hollows (Moloney et al. 2002) Over 400,00 ha (988,422 acres) of native forest land is cleared per year in Queensland (as of 2002) Important Web Resources: Laughing Kookaburra | BIRDS in BACKYARDS BIRDS in BACKYARDS Laughing Kookaburra Did you know? The Laughing Kookaburra is not really laughing when it makes its familiar call.

The cackle of the Laughing Kookaburra is actually a territorial call to warn other birds to stay away. Calls The chuckling voice that gives this species its name is a common and familiar sound throughout the bird's range. The loud 'koo-koo-koo-koo-koo-kaa-kaa-kaa' is often sung in a chorus with other individuals. The Laughing Kookaburra also has a shorter 'koooa What does it look like? Description: The Laughing Kookaburra is instantly recognisable in both plumage and voice. It is generally off-white below, faintly barred with dark brown, and brown on the back and wings. The tail is more rufous, broadly barred with black. There is a conspicuous dark brown eye-stripe through the face. It is one of the larger members of the kingfisher family. Similar species: Identification may only be confused where the Laughing Kookaburra's range overlaps that of the Blue-winged Kookaburra , Dacelo leachii, in eastern Queensland.

The call of the Blue-winged Kookaburra is coarser than that of the Laughing Kookaburra, and ends somewhat abruptly. The Blue-winged Kookaburra lacks the brown eye-stripe, has a blue tail and a large amount of blue in the wing, and has a pale eye. Where does it live? Distribution: Laughing Kookaburras are found throughout eastern Australia. They have been introduced to Tasmania, the extreme south-west of Western Australia, and New Zealand. Replaced by the Blue-winged Kookaburra in central northern and north-western Australia, with some overlap in Queensland, although this species is more coastal. Habitat: The Laughing Kookaburra inhabits most areas where there are suitable trees. What does it do? Feeding: Laughing Kookaburras feed mostly on insects, worms and crustaceans, although small snakes, mammals, frogs and birds may also be eaten. Prey is seized by pouncing from a suitable perch. Small prey is eaten whole, but larger prey is killed by bashing it against the ground or tree branch. Breeding: Laughing Kookaburras are believed to pair for life.

The nest is a bare chamber in a naturally occurring tree hollow or in a burrow excavated in an arboreal (tree-dwelling) termite mound. Both sexes share the incubation duties and both care for the young. Other Laughing Kookaburras, usually offspring of the previous one to two years, act as 'helpers' during the breeding season. Every bird in the group shares all parenting duties. Living with us Laughing Kookaburras often become quite tame around humans and will readily accept scraps of meat. This 'pre-processed' food is still beaten against a perch before swallowing. References: Kookaburra | Facts | Laughing | Bird | Sound | Eats Snakes Kookaburra Laughing Kookaburra The Kookaburra is the world's largest kingfisher but, unlike other kingfishers, it spends most of its time hunting non-aquatic prey. It is a stocky carnivorous bird measuring about 45 cm in length and weighing about 0.5 kg. It is also referred to as a Laughing Kookaburra because its very loud bird call sounds like human laughter.

Kookaburra is pronounced " cook-a-bar-ra ". What is a Kookaburra? Description of the Kookaburra Bird The kookaburra has a large square head with a very thick neck with strong neck muscles. Its large brown eyes gives it excellent vision. It has a large beak which is almost as long as its head. The kookaburra has a distinctive brown eye-stripe across its face and another fainter brown stripe on top of its head. The kookaburra's upper plumage is streaked in shades of dark brown. The wings are brown with blue or white freckles. Its lower plumage is off-white in colour. It has reddish-brown tail with bands of black. The colours of its plumage with shades of white, black and brown camouflages it well against its surroundings, making it difficult for both predator and prey to see it. The kookaburra is well adapted to its Australian habitat. Its feathers are thicker, with about 25% better insulation, than birds of its size.

In order to conserve energy it flies slowly and also lowers its metabolism and body temperature by up to 9.1°C (16.4°F) during the night. One Crazy Kookaburra We have a crazy Kookaburra living in our garden. He thinks he is our alarm clock. He taps real hard and long on our lounge room window early each morning. He wakes us all up. When Dad decided to cover up the window with a plastic sheet the kookaburra decided to dive bomb another window. I am surprised he hasn't broken the window yet because he crashes so hard into it. Or even killed itself! (Excerpt from the original TrishansOz page written in 1997 when Trishan was 9 years old.) The male and female kookaburra are of similar size and appearance. The female, is however, slightly larger than the male. The average lifespan of a kookaburra is about 15 years. Kookaburras live in woodlands in loosely-knit family groups with clearly defined territories. The family unit consist of a monogamous male and female together with up to 6 helper birds.

These helper birds are older generations of offspring who help their parents to care for the next generation of offspring. Kookaburras don't usually drink water as they get enough water from their food. They do, however, love to bathe. This is probably a characteristic from their primordial past as kingfishers. Scientific name - Dacelo novaeguineae How did the Kookaburra get its name? Why is it called a Laughing Kookaburra? The word kookaburra comes from Wiradjuri Aboriginal word guuguubarra. The word was derived from the sound the bird makes. The kookaburra has a very loud and distinctive call which sounds like human laughter. This is why it is also referred to as the "Laughing Kookaburra". In the past, for no obvious reason, it was also known as the "Laughing Jackass". Laughing Kookaburra Sound What does a Kookaburra Call Sound Like? Kookaburras Laughing The kookaburra's call is usually heard at dawn and dusk but it may also be heard, less frequently, at any time of the day.

It starts off as a slow chuckle 'oooo' and then builds up to boisterous 'ha ha ha'. This communal call is to establish the territory of the family unit and warn off other kookaburras. The family unit may vocalise together like a chorus to amplify their claim to their territory. If any rival groups are within ear-shot they too may respond, filling the air with, what sounds to us humans as, a cacophony of raucous laughter? Researchers have found that members of a family unit laugh in a similar manner, as though they are all laughing from the same "hymn sheet". The Kookaburra's laugh is a social behaviour. If a kookaburra is held alone in captivity, for example, it will not laugh. Kookaburra Loves to Eat Snakes The way it eats snakes is neat. It swoops down and grabs the snake from behind its head and then flies up high into the air and then drops the snake to kill it. Sometimes it bashes the snake against a branch to kill it.

(Excerpt from the original TrishansOz page written in 1997 when Trishan was 9 years old.) Kookaburra Diet What do Kookaburras Eat? The kookaburra is a carnivorous bird which uses a 'perch and pounce' tactic, typical of kingfishers, to catch its prey. It usually perches on a branch and waits patiently for its prey to pass by. It then swoops down and grabs its victim with its powerful beak and either swallows it whole, or if its prey is too large, it bashes it against a hard surface to break its victim into small consumable chucks. It is this bashing behaviour that has resulted in the kookaburra having such strong neck muscles compared to other birds. The kookaburra's diet consists mostly of large insects, frogs, fish, crabs and crayfish. It also eats small animals, other birds and especially snakes. Undigested food such as fur, exoskeletons of insects, bones are regurgitated in dry capsules. Kookaburra Reproduction Breeding Laughing Kookaburras reach sexual maturity and adulthood at one year of age.

They are believed to pair for life. Their nesting season starts in September and finishes in January. The birds nest in a large cavity in a tree trunk or in a hole made in a tree-dwelling termite mound. Kookaburra Eggs The female usually lays three white eggs 1-2 day apart. The female incubates the eggs at night and the male and offspring of the previous one to two years also help in incubating the eggs. In this way every bird in the family shares parenting duties. The incubation period lasts 24-26 days. Usually, the first egg to be laid in a clutch will be a male and the second egg will be a female. There is a high level of siblicide (killing a brother or sister) among kookaburra hatchings. The third chick rarely survives. It is attacked by the other two chicks resulting in a 50% death rate of the third chick. Baby Kookaburra Chick The young birds are born naked and blind. All members of the family, that is the parents and older siblings from the previous brood, help feed and care for the young chicks.

Young Kookaburras Instead of being forced out on reaching maturity, most young kookaburras stay and help their parents defend the family's territory and to help raise and protect further offspring. Kookaburra Habitat Where Does the Kookaburra Live? The Kookaburras are found throughout eastern Australia where they live is eucalyptus forests and woodlands. They have also adapted well to humans and can frequently be found in urban parks and gardens. Humans have also introduced kookaburras to Tasmania, Western Australia and even New Zealand! The kookaburra is a territorial sedentary bird. That is to say, it marks its territory and lives there year after year. The territory of a family group can range between 16 to 244 hectares depending on the availability of prey in the particular habitat. Birds will honour the territory of another and will not enter it for any reason, even if it means catching a meal in its neighbour's territory. Kookaburra - Conservation Status & Threats Kookaburra is not endangered The kookaburra population is estimated to be around 65 million birds.

They are not considered an endangered species, but as with all Australian native animals, they are protected by strict laws. The population may, however, be in decline due to human impacts such as habitat destruction. Habitat Loss As with most other native animals the kookaburra suffers from the destruction, fragmentation and loss of its habitat, namely the eucalyptus forests and woodlands in which it hunts and tree hollows in which it nests. Predators Possums are the primary predators of kookaburra eggs. Young chicks also fall prey to quolls , lizards such as the goannas and snakes. Older Kookaburras are most vulnerable to airborne predators such as goshawks, whistling kites, owls and eagles. In more recent times they have also fallen prey to introduced animals such as feral cats and foxes . Motor Vehicles Strikes Kookaburras are relatively slow flying birds. This makes them vulnerable to impacts with motor vehicles because they can't fly fast enough to avoid an oncoming vehicle. Being a carnivorous bird the kookaburra is also an opportunist and will try to eat road kill, animals knocked down by road vehicles.

Unfortunately the kookaburra is a slow flier. It finds it very difficult to get airborne quickly to get out of the way of oncoming traffic. As a consequence the bird itself becomes a road fatality. Bush Fires Forest fires in Australia are fast and intense. They destroy large tracts of forest in which kookaburras live. Blue-winged Kookaburra Another type of kookaburra that lives in Australia is the Blue-winged Kookaburra which lives in eastern Queensland. It has light coloured eyes, does not have the brown eye-stripe and has a blue tail and mostly blue wing features. Its call is similar to that of the Laughing Kookaburra but end more abruptly. Kookaburra Song by Marion Sinclair Controversial Australian Nursery Rhyme The popular Australian nursery rhyme "The Kookaburra" or " The kookaburra sits in the old gum tree " written by Marion Sinclair in 1932 was recently embroiled in controversy when the current copyright owner of this song claimed that the song Down Under by the famous Australian Band, Men At Work, had plagiarised a part of the music from this song.

Kookaburras | 10 of Australia's cutest animals | MNN - Mother Nature Network 10 of Australia's cutest animals By: Sidney Stevens on Feb. 8, 2016, 3:46 p.m. 10 of 12 Kookaburras Endowed with a distinctive cackling call that sounds like raucous human laughter ( listen here ), this arresting Aussie bird is a type of kingfisher. For years, movie-makers have added kookaburra calls to enhance jungle-themed soundtracks. But the kookaburra — popularized in a 1930s song ("Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree. Merry, merry king of the bush is he…") — is anything but warm and fuzzy. These beguiling birds of prey are actually fierce carnivores, ruthlessly hunting frogs, reptiles, birds, rodents and even venomous snakes. 11 animals on the verge of extinction Kookaburras Endowed with a distinctive cackling call that sounds like raucous human laughter ( listen here ), this arresting Aussie bird is a type of kingfisher.

For years, movie-makers have added kookaburra calls to enhance jungle-themed soundtracks. But the kookaburra — popularized in a 1930s song ("Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree. Merry, merry king of the bush is he…") — is anything but warm and fuzzy. These beguiling birds of prey are actually fierce carnivores, ruthlessly hunting frogs, reptiles, birds, rodents and even venomous snakes. SPONSORED Kingfishers of Australia Click on a Yellow box to go directly to that bird Sacred Kingfisher Description : This Kingfisher is a small brightly coloured bird, with blue or Green wings, tail, and head stripe though the female is slightly duller than the male. Lot like a smaller version Kookaburra. It is call is well known and has been described as a "staccato kee-kee-kee Location & Habitat : Sacred Kingfishers are found through most of Australia (except in the arid central deserts) and can be found in in forests, mangroves and in trees along river courses.

Their nest is a burrow either into a sandy bank or termite mound Feeding : They are as all kingfishers a predatory bird, feeding usually on small reptiles and insects (grasshoppers, beetles) fish and crustaceans. Behavior : They are a watchful birds but perch high up in trees rather than the usual low branches over rivers which is common for most kingfishers Collard Kingfisher Description : The Collared Kingfisher is like the Sacred Kingfisher but is darker,larger and has a more solid bill Location & Habitat : Northern and northeastern Australia just along the coastline. It loves to live in mangroves and is sometimes referred to as a "Mangrove Kingfisher" Feeding : Buff Breasted (Paradise) Kingfisher Description : Very colourful with a magnificent long tail.

its length can be up to 36 cm which includes its tail (up to 1/2 its total length) Location & Habitat : Found in the "Top Tip" of Australia (Cape York) only during breeding season (Spring) where it is found in rainforests, before returning to New Guinea Behavior : Rather quiet Kingfisher except in breeding season It also nests in termite mounds often tunneling for a couple of weeks to make the nest Red Backed Kingfisher Description : The red backed kingfishers most noticeable physical characteristics are its rufous red patch on its lower back and rump, as well as a black stripe running through its eyes to the back of its head Location & Habitat : The red backed kingfisher has adapted to the harsher climate of Australia's interior deserts, and thus is found over most of Australia except in areas of high rainfall (Coastal areas Southwest, Southeast, East and Northeast) It survives in eucalypt woodlands, scrub and tussock grasslands, and areas with scattered trees Feeding : Like other forest kingfishers it feeds on insects and small reptiles that it hunts on the ground.

Yellow Billed Kingfisher Description : Apart from its distinguishing yellow bill, the yellow billed kingfisher can be recognised by a black ring around eye, and its overall orange body and green wings The male Yellow billed kingfishers head is entirely orange, whilst the females has a black cap.

Habitat : In Australia it only found in the northern part of Cape York (Australia's "top tip")in rainforest and mangrove areas Feeding : solitary and unobtrusive inhabitant of the , They feed mainly on insects and small reptiles Behavior : These birds are very unobtrusive and live in the lower levels of hard to access rainforests and mangroves where they find their food supply Azure Kingfisher Description : There upper parts are a bright blue (hence their name) They also have a long bill, "orangish" belly and bright orange legs They measure roughly 18 cm and have a high-pitched whistle Location & Habitat : The Azure Kingfisher is found following Australia's coastline from the top of the Northern Territory all the way down the East coast to and including Tasmanian The Azure Kingfisher frequents rivers and streams, bilabongs, lagoons etc with overhanging low branches Feeding : In typical kingfisher fashion the Azure scans the water from a low perch and dives quickly, causes a splash and then darts back to its perch The prey will be turned around in its long beak and swallowed head first.

They prefer small crustaceans such as crabs and yabbies. Little Kingfisher Description : A Long black bill with a white spot between the bill and the eye Another white spot on the side of the neck. Upperparts are blue, underparts white. The little kingfishers size is roughly 12 cm Location & Habitat : In Australia the little kingfisher is only found in coastal areas in the far north They frequent rainforest pools, mangroves, creeks etc Feeding : its behavour and feeding patterns resembles that of the Azure kingfisher ie it darts from low branches and eats insects, small fish and crustations Click here to see some more pics of Laughing Kookaburras Description The kookaburra is the largest kingfisher. The laughing kookaburra has a short thick body with a very large head with a dark eye streak. Their colourings are mainly brown with black markings on top with a creamy whit underbelly and head, and "mottled" blue patch on their wings.

They are famous for their laughing calls which usually occur at dawn and dusk and is in fact the kookaburra "marking out" its territory Habitat They are found through out eastern Australia from the northern tip of Queensland right down to Tasmania. They have also been introduced to the southern part of Western Australia They frequent open forests and Eucalypt bushland Feeding Like most kingfishers the Laughing kookaburra launches itself from a perch to pounce on its prey They enjoy eating most ground-living insects, as well as mice, lizards and snakes. Behavior The Laughing Kookaburras form community groups which together share and defend their home territory. As already mentioned they mark this territory with their calls, but also will physically defend it from other bird species These community groups have a dominate matting pair and other lesser members Laughing kookaburras do not build nests, instead they use existing cavities in trees or again sometimes a tree-termite mound.

Blue Winged Kookaburra Description Much like the Laughing Kookaburra, the blue winged kookaburra differs in its bigger brighter metallic blue wing markings and its call is a lot higher pitched "trill" It does not have a dark streak through its eye Habitat Found in the wetter region of coastal Northern Australia they still live in open forests and woodlands but may also be found on the edge of some swamps (eg. Paperbark) Feeding Like the Laughing Kookaburra they dive onto ground dwelling lizards and insects, snakes and small mammals. return to Index LINKS Kookaburra - Animal Facts Animal Profiles Kookaburra Bird. At twilight, kookaburras make loud, long calls that sound like laughter to let all know the boundaries of their territory. The largest of the kingfishers, kookaburras mate for life, living in pairs or small family groups. Chicks are born blind and naked, taking a month for their feathers to fill in. Older siblings often help their parents with the next clutch of eggs.

The birds grow up to 47 cm (18.5 in) long and weigh about .5 kg (1 lb). Their bills are as long as 10 cm (4 in). Getting all their moisture from their food, they never need to drink water. They nest in hollow trees or termite mounds. Scientific Name Lifespan Dacelo gigas About 20 years Diet Carnivore. Snakes, lizards, mice, the young of other birds, as well as insects and small reptiles. Predators and Threats Cats, dogs, foxes, and larger predatory birds such as eagles and owls. Habitat Forests, open woodlands, or on the edges of plains in Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea.

Question: What type of bird is a kookaburra?
Answer: Kingfisher