14 |
Laughing KookaburraAlternative names: "Brown Kingfisher", "Great Kingfisher", "Giant Kingfisher", "Laughing Jackass", "Bushman's Clock", "Settler's Clock" Aboriginal name: "gugurrgaagaa" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay] |
Sightings
Laughing Kookaburras are the bosses of the bush. Noone, not even birds much larger than they, will meddle with them. When a Kookaburra comes onto the scene, even Australian Ravens and Whistling Kites call it a day.
Laughing Kookaburras were frequent visitors to our place 20 km south of Narrabri, New South Wales. However, 20 km east of Narrabri our place is visited less frequently. A family stays in the neighbourhood, a short distance away.
A family of Laughing Kookaburras can also be heard, and occasionally seen, at our place 20 km east of Narrabri, but there are no permanent residents on the property.
Photos
Here a close-up portrait of a "sausage thief" in Gosford, kindly contributed by Y. English (click on image for larger version)
Family of Laughing Kookaburras in the top of a dead tree (click on image for larger version)
Laughing Kookaburra hunting off a perch (click on image for larger version)
THAT's a bill! (click on image for larger version)
The same bird as above (click on image for larger version)
Laughing Kookaburra at Royal National Park, south of Sydney, New South Wales (click on image for larger version)
Laughing Kookaburra in a bottlebrush tree, 25 km south of Narrabri, New South Wales (click on image for larger version)
This immature Laughing Kookaburra was using a fencepost as a perch to hunt from at a farm near the entrance to Wollomombi Falls, near Ebor, northeastern New South Wales (click on image for larger version)
Laughing Kookaburra twin share (click on image for larger version)
Laughing Kookaburra preening (click on image for larger version)
Laughing Kookaburra displaying its crest (click on image for full-size display)
Here a bit of a rarity: An albino Laughing Kookaburra 20 km south of Narrabri, New South Wales
Habits
We once noticed how a Laughing Kookaburra called for help by its mates when a Whistling Kite came onto the scene. Together the 10-12 Kookaburras hustled the big raptor out of their territory.