09/09/2024
Birds of Australia
The laughing kookaburra is a large robust kingfisher with a whitish head and a brown eye stripe. The upperparts are mostly dark brown but there is a mottled light-blue patch on the wing coverts. The underparts are cream and the tail is barred with rufous and black. The territorial call is a distinctive laugh that is often delivered by several birds at the same time and is widely used as a stock sound effect in situations that involve a jungle setting.
This species is native to eastern mainland Australia, but has also been introduced to parts of New Zealand, Tasmania, and Western Australia. This particular bird was found in downtown Sydney on the edge of park land. It lives in dry eucalypt forest, woodland, city parks and gardens, occupying the same territory throughout the year. The species retains the same partner for life. A breeding pair can be accompanied by up to five fully grown non-breeding offspring from previous years that help the parents defend their territory and raise their young.
The laughing kookaburra typically waits perched on a branch until it sees an animal on the ground and then flies down and pounces on its prey. Its diet includes lizards, insects, worms, snakes, mice and it is known to take goldfish out of garden ponds.
June 28, 2024
