Kookaburra sits on the Hills hoist

The call of the Kookaburra is one of the most distinctive and well known calls of an Australian bird one that is recognisable all over the world.

The call sounds like a human laugh which gives the bird it's name of the Laughing Kookaburra one of the four species of Kookaburras that inhabit Australia and New Guinea .

It is actually a warning call as Kookaburras are territorial birds and when they are laughing they telling other Kookaburras and other birds flying around their territory to back off.

The Laughing Kookaburra lives in the East coast of Australia from Cape York to Tasmania and they nest in hollow logs or hollows in treeseven in termite nests. The male and female are very similar no real difference between the two.

The nesting season is from September to January with the female laying up to 3 eggs at a time .

Kookaburras are predators which means they prey on mice ,snakes and lizards and are quite fond of dropping in on a barbicue to grab a bit of meat so watch your steak whenever you put on a barbie.

I have seen Kookaburras hunt and it is amazing to watch the bird will search for its dinner when they spot it they will watch it from the branch it is sitting on then at the right moment it will soop down and before it's helpless victim knows it it's getting it's head bashed against a tree or a rock.

Yes the kookaburra will tenderise it's meal by bashing it a few times against a branch or a rock then once satisfied it will eat it's dinner . 

The Kookaburra was used as a mascot during the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and when I came home one afternoon I found this Kookaburra sitting on another Aussie icon which was also displayed to the world during the Sydney Olympics .

Hills Hoist