“
FlamingosKookaburras walk, and sway in peace
Seeing this, it makes my troubles cease
The sun is hiding, leaving a pink scar
That stretches right across the sky….” ~ A Touch of Paradise sung by John Farnham.
Regular visitors will have become quite familiar with the next Australian icon I am featuring here, as part of my series of Australia Day posts ~ The Laughing Kookaburra.
Every time a kookaburra visits, it really is a Touch of Paradise in my back yard. Now would be the perfect time to click on the link of the song, written by the wonderful Australian musician Ross Wilson, and performed by John Farnham.
Now back to the kookaburras….
Kookaburras are part of the Kingfisher family, growing to a height on average of 42 cm. They are native to Australia, territorial and mate for life.
Their nests are made in the hollows of trees and both parents share the duties of caring for their young.
From watching the kookaburras each day as they come to feed in my garden, there are certain points I have noticed about their behaviour. Reading through the facts, so as I can tell you all a few actual factuals about these most recognisable of Australian birds, it is interesting to read about things that I have already noted!
For example, they don’t arrive on my feeding table in pairs only, I can have any number of kookaburras here, sometimes up to eight at the same time, who intermingle amicably with one another. The facts confirm this to be so, that they do cohabit in a set area, even sharing the responsibilities of their young.
That explains another thing I have noticed about the young kookaburras, they will take food from any of the adults at the feeding table.
So who belongs to who? Which adults do the baby kookaburras belong to?
It seems to me that in the Kingdom of Kookaburras, it simply doesn’t matter! The babies are taken care of by the multitudes. I guess you could say they watch out for each others backs!
The beautifully pristine and gloriously coloured baby birds are still quite shy when I take their food out to them, preferring to stay on the clothesline and watch me from afar….
….and then there’s Larry.
Have I mentioned my old mate Larry before? He’s my Ultimate Tame Bird, out of all the birds who visit. I can hand feed Larry, he flies straight up to me and looks straight into my eyes, often with his head tilted to one side, as if questioning me.
If only he could tell me what he is thinking! A penny for your thoughts Larry?
When I am in the garden there is usually a kookaburra nearby. As much as I would like to think they are enjoying my company, the reality is that they are hoping I will rearrange some earth, disturb a worm or witchety grub, and faster than the bug can say “kookaburra”, it’s been swooped upon, flicked against a hard surface and eaten!
Kookaburras will perch patiently on the branch of a tree for hours, watching, and waiting. Their eagle kookaburra eyes don’t miss a thing and once spotted, their prey doesn’t stand a chance!
As the old wives tale would lead us to believe the kookaburras burst out into great choruses of laughter when there is rain about, and in years gone by housewives would swear by the accuracy of this tale, rushing into the garden to bring the washing in when the kookaburras started their song of so-called warning.
The truth of the matter is that their laughter is a warning….for other kookaburras to clear off! They are telling any stray kookies who may be lurking amid the nearby foliage that this area is taken!
Yes, this area is taken, by the Kings of the Bush, who have transformed my garden into A Touch of Paradise. š
In My World 
Extremely interesting! They are such beautiful birds!
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Hello Sylvia! I’m sure all of the featured kookaburras would agree with you that they are beautiful. š
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Learned a lot about the kookoburras. That’s neat that they feed each other’s young and get along so well. We could learn something from them. But oh ! Their heads are so big. It looks like someone has mixed up puzzle-pieces. That baby looks like his head is way too big for him.
I’m listening to that song right now … very “easy listening”.
I want to hop on a plane and come where you are … we are in the midst of a very unusual frigid spell and it’s AWFUL here … -25C with the wind chill !
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Minus 25! I don’t remember ever being in minus any degree Sybil! Gosh, you’d need to rug up there!
The young kookaburras do look funny, don’t they? I was surprised to see them at first too, and also thought their heads looked too big! I assure you, they do become better proportioned as they grow.
I hope you are keeping yourself very warm over there. I am picturing you all rugged up and sipping a nice big mug of something warm. š
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You and Larry and your flock of friendly kookaburras certainly do live in a paradise, Joanne! I especially love the picture of the group of three of them together, all looking off into different directions. And of course the creamy colored babies are adorable, and it was cool seeing Larry eating from Emma’s hand. š Nice set of pictures!
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I have tried so many times to get a photo of more than three together but that seems to be the limit I’m afraid. They must have an order of eating between themselves. Some days, when I have a large number of kookaburras on the clothesline, I have watched them and a couple will eat, then fly away. Next, another couple come down to eat.
Do you think the kookaburras appreciate our beautiful area as much as I do Barbara? Somehow, I don’t think they do! š
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When I saw the third image I immediately thought of our Belted Kingfisher who lives at the back of the pond. There are some obvious differences, but I could see they are in the same family. Another enjoyable and interesting post, Joanne. š
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Thank you. It’s nice to know that our kookaburras have relatives in other countries Robin. š
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