Kookaburras

A kookaburra's habitat is open woodland to rain forest fringes.

Kookaburras live in open and dense bushland, woodlands, riverine rain forests, paperbark swamps, orchards, parklands, partially timbered farmlands, towns, suburbs, eucalyptus forests and rainforests. As they feed primarily on insects, worms, crustaceans, spiders, snakes, lizards and even small birds, they can live in any well-treed area where these creatures are abundant. Kookaburras are also a common sight and sound in suburban backyards in Australia.

Kookaburras nest in tree hollows or even in burrows dug in termite nests in trees.

No. Kookaburras are not nest raiders. They make their own nests in tree hollows, or in hollows within termite nests up in trees. They will use their strong beak to dig out the hollows to enlarge the space. They lay their own eggs in their own nests, and do not raid the nests of other bird species.

However, kookaburras have been known to eat the chicks of other birds on occasion. This is not their normal diet, as they prefer to swoop down and collect small reptiles from the ground.

The Laughing kookaburra of Australia is sometimes called a laughing jackass, though this name is not used in Australia. Kookaburras have a territorial call which starts as a chuckling or gurgling sound, then becomes progressively louder until it sounds like raucous laughter.

Kookaburras are not regarded as vermin. They are native to the eastern mainland of Australia, where they are perfectly suited to the habitat, not causing any problems. However, they are regarded as a pest species in the state of Tasmania, to which they have been introduced.

the speed is 45 mph

Legally kept Kookaburras in the United States must be kept safe in properly large aviaries, and while handfed babies can be handled it is not advised to travel with them unless you are in the business of wildlife educational services. For exporting, it is illegal to export Kookaburras from their native country of Australia into other countries. For this reason, it is actually illegal to have kookaburras at all in the US, but local laws ignore this fact. These birds have originally been smuggled out of Australia, in clear contravention of Australian laws.

If referring to Australia, you may not have a kookaburra as a pet. Kookaburras ar not permitted to be kept as pets in Australia. Only zoos and sanctuaries may obtain a native wildlife licence to keep kookaburras, while injured kookaburras should only ever be rehabilitated by rescuers who have a native wildlife carer's licence. If sufficiently recovered, kookaburras are required to be returned to the wild in Australia. Only if they cannot be returned to the wild may a licence be obtained to keep them - and this is only for rescued birds, and only in the state of South Australia.

Kookaburras, like all birds, have two ears. Their earholes are not visible beneath the feathers on the sides of their head.

Yes

The kookaburra has a sharp, strong beak. It needs such a beak as it is carnivorous. Apart from feeding on insects, it also swoops down and collects small mammals and reptiles. In particular, it can often be observed carrying a lizard or snake to a branch or a rock on the ground and, holding the creature in its strong beak, the kookaburra will then proceed to beat the reptile or mammal on the branch or rock until it is either dead or close to it, whereupon it can eat it.

Kookaburra poo

It's not good for the kookaburra.

Certainly. Kookaburras find that goldfish in ponds are one of the easiest takeaway meals they can have. If you are in kookaburra territory, outdoor fish ponds should be protected with a chicken wire covering, or other suitable covering.

No. Kookaburras are not known to sleep with their eyes open.

Kookaburras are protected wherever they are native in Australia. Although Tasmania is a part of Australia, the kookaburra was introduced to the island. Therefore, because they are an introduced species, they are not protected under any legislation. No licence or permit is required to cull kookaburras on one's property, as long as it is done humanely.

No. On any bird, the rump is the part of the body immediately above the tail.

Kookaburras are not an omen of anything.

Yes. Kookaburras are carnivorous, feeding on invertebrates such as insects, spiders, worms, centipedes and crustaceans. They also eat vertebrates such as reptiles, fish, frogs and even small birds and mammals.

Laughing kookaburras' eggs are 46mm x 35 mm.

Yes. All birds can walk forwards, including the kookaburra.

Yes. Kookaburras incubate their eggs by sitting on them. Both the male and female sit on the eggs, sharing their incubation duties.

Kookaburras do not live in jungles. They occupy mid levels of the sclerophyll forests known as eucalyptus bushland. They are also found in suburban areas.

Interestingly, the distinctive laugh of a kookaburra is often dubbed in on overseas-produced movies to lend an exotic flavour to jungle scenes. kookaburras do not live in jungles.

Kookaburras are birds, so they lay eggs in order to reproduce.

They tend to mate for life, and they nest in tree hollows in their territory, returning to the same hollow each year to breed.

The female lays between two and four eggs per clutch, between September and December. Both the male and female incubate the eggs, and it takes around 24 days for the eggs to hatch. Once the chicks are old enough to fend for themselves, they tend to stay with the parents for up to four years, even helping take care of subsequent clutches of eggs.