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LAUGHING KOOKABURRA
Photo: C & D Frith
Wet Tropics Rainforest Life
LAUGHING KOOKABURRA:
Dacelo novaeguineae 43 cm
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The Laughing Kookaburra is endemic to the forests
and woodlands of eastern Australia.
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Because of its loud calls and large size it is one
of Australia’s most familiar birds.
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Early
in the morning, as the local kookaburra gang rouses us with their own particular
salute to the sun, they are telling all other kookaburras within earshot that
they have a territory and that they are ready to defend it. (Source:
Environmental Protection Agency)
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Differences from Blue-winged Kookaburra
include: brownish
crown, dark streak through eye and dark eye.
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It is the world’s largest kingfisher.
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The territorial call can be described as raucous ‘laughter’.
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They
spend
most of the day on high branches or posts overlooking rainforest clearings or disturbed agricultural areas where they swoop on small snakes, lizards or
frogs.
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It is seen singly, in pairs or in family parties.
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Young
kookaburras continue to live at home for about four years. During this time
their parents put them to good use; young laughing kookaburras perform about a
third of incubation and brooding duties for the next generation and supply the
nestlings with over half of their food.
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A family of seven Kookaburras regularly visits Chambers Wildlife
Rainforest Lodge
and entertains the guests with a chorus of laughter before they come down onto
the lodge railings to accept meat scraps.
Additional information:
Laughing Kookaburra:- Dacelo
novaeguineae
This large kingfisher has brown upperparts and
cream underparts. A brown streak interrupts the face behind the eye. There is a
smattering of blue on the wing, but it is not as bright or extensive as on the
'Blue winged Kookaburra'. This is, of course, the most distinctive and famous
bird call in Australia. It resembles a howled, rounded, forced laughter. The
'Laughing Kookaburra' lives in the woodlands along the east coast of Australia
and has become quite used to living in the urbanized areas beside humans. Thus,
the bird is often encountered in the Australian BBQ, stealing a bit of sausage
(snag), and then, treating it as it would it's prey, and proceeding to whack the
meat until it's made sure it's well and truly dead.
Script courtesy
of Naturalist Guide Damon Ramsey
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