Dacelo
noveaguineae
MERRY, MERRY KING OF THE BUSH
The raucous
call of a Laughing Kookaburra sounds remarkably like human laughter. Families often chuckle together but they are
not swapping jokes — they are telling other birds to keep away. The Laughing
Kookaburra is native to eastern Australia and was first introduced to Tasmania
in 1905. Kookaburras live in most areas where there are hollow trees suitable
for nesting.
LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP
A Laughing
Kookaburra watches from its perch before swooping to the ground to seize prey
in its strong beak. It kills larger prey like lizards by bashing them against a
rock or branch. Contrary to popular opinion, Kookaburras rarely eat snakes or
nestling birds - they eat mostly insects.
The bird’s brown and white plumage helps it to blend into its
environment, hidden from prey — and from predators like cats and wedge-tailed
eagles.
FAMILY LIFE IS NO JOKE FOR THE YOUNGEST
Laughing
Kookaburras mate for life. They live in family groups, but only the dominant male
and female breed. Food is often so scarce in Australia that birds can find it a
struggle to bring up their babies. Kookaburras are among many birds that
receive help from their older children in caring for the young. This survival
strategy is rare in other countries where food is more plentiful. Kookaburras
usually lay three eggs that hatch at different times. If the parents have no
helpers, the older two chicks often kill the youngest one. This gives the older
ones a better chance of survival — it is difficult for parents to find enough
food for three chicks by themselves. Chicks are born with a temporary hooked
beak, apparently for the purpose of
fighting their nest mates.
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