Description
This well-known bird is an iconic Australian species and is known for its ‘laughing’ call. This kookaburra has dark brown wings with white underpart and head. It has brown stripes near the eyes that run across its face and its upper bill is black. Its tail is distinctive, being reddish brown with black bars across it. It is around 45cm from beak to tail tip and compared to other Kingfishers it is considered large. All Kingfishers have the same look which includes stout bodies with large heads and long, strong beaks.
Habitat
The laughing kookaburra lives in eucalypt forests, open woodlands, or on the edges of plains in Eastern Australia. They need tree hollows to nest in and so need nest site availability to reproduce.
Diet
Laughing kookaburras can often be seen sitting in a tree looking over grasslands or bushland. They use a ‘wait and swoop’ technique to catch prey. Once they see the prey the kookaburra swoops down and grabs it with its beak. Larger prey items such as snakes are hit against trees and rocks to kill, soften or break into smaller pieces before they swallow it. Kookaburras also forage through leaf litter looking for insects. Snakes, fish, rodents, lizards, chicks, snails, worms and insects are included in their diet.
Reproduction
Laughing kookaburras are monogamous, which means they only have one mate that they breed and nest with. They are extremely territorial birds that nest in tree hollows and have also been seen nesting in termite mounds in large trees. Female kookaburras can lay up to 5 eggs which are cared for by their parents but also siblings from the previous clutch who are still with their parents learning where to find food, what to eat and the dangers of their environment.
