The Kookaburra, Kingfisher, Cackler

This week we are taking a look at the Kookaburra. This Australian native from the eucalyptus forests is a well known symbol of the continent's birdlife. That's funny because as an american I associate eucalyptus trees with Koala Bears, not Kookaburra. It has also been seen in Tasmania and New Guinea.  Kookaburras occupy woodland and open forests. They live in and nest in the cavities of tree trunks and branches. Kookaburra do not migrate and occupy the same territory all year-round.

Kookaburra can grow to weigh up to a pound with a beak that can be up to 4 inches long. They look to be about the same size as an adult domestic house cat so don't let that light weight fool you, these are really big birds. Matter of fact, the Kookaburra used to be called the "Giant Kingfisher".

The Kookaburra is a carnivore, its diet consists of small vertebrates and invertebrates, the occasional small snake and even other fowl. The Kookaburra are expert divers and attack their prey from the sky in streams and ponds. Kookaburra disable their prey by slamming them into rocks when they have them in their beaks. Natural predators include cats, dogs foxes, and larger predatory bids.

The female will lay one to five eggs. Both parents share incubation duties when it comes to tending the eggs. When the eggs hatch, older siblings also assist with parenting duties. The entire group helps to parent the young.

The most distinguished feature of the Kookaburra is it' laugh. A group of them sound like Gotham City after the Joker has attacked with laughing gas. They make other noises thank the laughing that we are familiar with, but when they laugh, you know it's the Kookabura. Check this video out to hear the laugh and more fun facts and next time you're in Timbavati Wildlife Park hang out by their enclosure, they pipe up quite regularly.