Kookaburra
Kookaburras are very large terrestrial
kingfishers native to
Australia and
New Guinea. Some were introduced into
New Zealand between 1866 and 1880, but only those liberated on
Kawau Island by Sir
George Grey survived. Descendants are still to be found there today.
Kookaburras are best known for their unmistakable call which is uncannily like loud, echoing human
laughter — good-natured if rather hysterical merriment in the case of the well-known
Laughing Kookaburra (
Dacelo novaeguineae), maniacial, almost insane cackling in the case of the slightly smaller
Blue-winged Kookaburra (
Dacelo leachii).
Kookaburras occupy woodland territories in loose family groups, and their laughter serves the same purpose as a great many other bird calls: to demarcate territorial borders. The Laughing Kookaburra also "laughs" to greet its mate after periods of absences. It can be heard at any time of day but most frequently shortly after dawn, and especially when the colour drains from the forest after sunset.
One bird starts with a low, hiccupping chuckle, then throws its head back in raucous laughter: often several others join in. If a rival tribe is within earshot and replies, the whole family soon gathers to fill the bush with ringing laughter. Hearing kookaburras in full voice is one of the more extraordinary experiences of the Australian bush; something even locals cannot ignore, and that visitors, unless forewarned, can be quite terrified by.
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Kookaburras with lizard prey |
Kookaburras hunt much as other kingfishers (or indeed
robins) do: by perching on a convenient branch or wire and waiting patiently for prey to pass by:
mice and similar-sized small
mammals, large
insects,
lizards, small birds and nestlings, and most famously,
snakes. Small prey are preferred, but kookaburras not infrequently take surprisingly large creatures, including
venomous snakes a good deal longer than the bird itself.
Most species of Kookaburra tend to live in family units, with offspring helping the parents hunt and care for the next generation of offspring.
Unusually for close relatives, the Laughing and Blue-winged
species are direct competitors in the area where their ranges overlap. This suggests that the two species, though having common stock, evolved in isolation (possibly during a period when Australia and New Guinea were more distant — see
Australia-New Guinea) and were only brought back into contact in relatively recent geological times.
During mating season, the Laughing Kookaburra indulges in behaviour similar to that of a Wattle Bird. The female adopts a begging posture and vocalises like a young bird. The male then offers her his current catch accompanied with an "oo oo oo" sound. They start breeding around October/November. If the first clutch fails, they will continue breeding into the summer months.
They generally lay three eggs at about 2 day intervals. If the food supply is not adequate the third egg will be smaller and the third chick will also be smaller and at a disadvantage to its larger siblings. Chicks have a hook on the upper mandible, which disappears by the time of fledging. If the food supply to the chicks is not adequate the chicks will quarrel and the hook can be used as a weapon and the smallest chick can be killed by its larger siblings. If food is plentiful the parent birds spend more time brooding the chicks and so the chicks are not able to fight.
The male Laughing Kookaburra can be easily distinguished from the female by the blue hues on his wing feathers and darker blue on his tail feathers. The female on the other hand has a small amount of aqua on her wing feathers, but no blue on her tail feathers.
The Laughing Kookaburra frequently inhabits suburban gardens and are so accustomed to humans that they will quite often eat out of your hand. It is not recommended to feed them however as it interferes with their basic dietary requirements and can lead to disease.
Olly the Kookaburra was one of the three
mascots chosen for the
Sydney 2000 Olympics. The other mascots were the
Echidna and the
Platypus.
A popular song about kookaburras goes:
Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,Merry, merry king of the bush is he,Laugh, Kookaburra, Laugh, KookaburraGay your life must be.Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,Eating all the gumdrops he can see,Stop, Kookaburra, Stop, KookaburraLeave some there for me.Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,Counting all the monkeys he can see,Stop, Kookaburra! Stop, Kookaburra!That's not a monkey, that's me.Kookaburra sits on a rusty nail,Gets a boo-boo in his tail,Cry, Kookaburra! Cry, Kookaburra!Oh how life can be!Sarah Legge,
Kookaburra: King of the Bush, CSIRO Publishing 2004, ISBN 0 643 09063 0
