Kookaburra ( Laughing Jackass )

Aussie_bluey · June 19, 2005

Here are some photos of a Blue Winged Kookaburra.

Aussie_bluey · June 19, 2005

All wet, nothing to laugh about.

: This one was out in the rain, I like how the water is beading on its feathers.

Aussie_bluey · June 19, 2005

Am I going bald.

I like this view of this Blue Winged Kookaburra.

MuskyDude · June 19, 2005

Tim, excellent shots.

Tell us non-Aussis a bit about this interesting looking bird? Thanks!

AJ

bfjr · June 19, 2005

Man you guys got some strange looking ones

#1 & #2 for me well done

gus · June 19, 2005

Good close shots AB ! I have a resident pair at my new place so i just need the sun to come out to get them.

Great fella's to have about & keep the snake population down

Gus

bochie · June 19, 2005

The expression on the second one is just priceless !
Great capture

Aussie_bluey · June 20, 2005

Kokaburra information.
Hi Musky Dude & All other Grinners

Here is some information on the Kookaburra.

Description

The Laughing Kookaburra is instantly recognisable in both plumage and voice. This large member of the kingfisher family measures 40 - 45 cm in length. 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.

The chuckling voice that gives this species its English 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 'koooaa', which is normally given when accompanied by other members of its family group.

Identification may only be confused where the Laughing Kookaburra's range overlaps that of the Blue-winged Kookaburra, D. 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.

Distribution and Habitat

The Laughing Kookaburra occurs throughout eastern Australia. It has also been introduced to Tasmania and the extreme south-west of Western Australia, as well as New Zealand. It inhabits most areas where there are suitable trees. In the central north and north-west of Australia it is replaced by the Blue-winged Kookaburra. The two overlap in range throughout Queensland, although the Blue-winged Kookaburra tends to occupy the coastal areas.

Food and 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. 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.

Breeding

Laughing Kookaburras breed from August to January. The birds 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, usualy offspring of the previous 1-2 years, act as 'helpers' during the breeding season. Every bird in the group shares all parenting duties.

Nir · June 20, 2005

Tim,

Really nice captures - sharp and lit!
The dark background - is this at night? How did you achieve the lighting?

I bet Harry's not going to get any of these in Florida

Aussie_bluey · June 20, 2005

It was day
Hi Nir,
I took this during an overcast day, their enclosure was dark and I used my camera's inbuilt Flash.:D
Tim

gus · June 20, 2005

Bluey..be thankfull you got the quiet one....here is my 4.30am wakeup call.

Aussie_bluey · June 20, 2005

Very Good

Humungus, that is so cool. The Blue Winged Kookaburra I took the photos of can be very noisy. I liked how you did that. We lived in a small Victorian country town called Korumburra for a short while in the early 1980s and we often heard the Kookaburras laughing early in the morning. We actually quite liked the sound. But you have to admire a bird that hunts our native snakes even the venomous ones.

Tim

Kookaburra ( Laughing Jackass )

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