Favorite Images of Kookaburras

A list of my favorite images of Kookaburras.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kookaburra

Kookaburras are terrestrial tree kingfishers of the genus Dacelo native to Australia and New Guinea, which grow to between 28–42 cm (11–17 in) in length.

The name is a loanword from Wiradjuri guuguubarra, onomatopoeic of its call.

The single member of the genus Clytoceyx is commonly referred to as the shovel-billed kookaburra.

The kookaburra's loud call sounds like echoing human laughter.

They are found in habitats ranging from humid forest to arid savanna, as well as in suburban areas with tall trees or near running water.

Even though they belong to the larger group known as "kingfishers", kookaburras are not closely associated with water.

Four species of kookaburra can be found in Australia, New Guinea and the Aru Islands.

Species:
*Rufous-bellied kookaburra - lowland New Guinea, Saibai island;
*Spangled kookaburra - Aru Islands, southern New Guinea;
*Blue-winged kookaburra - northern Australia, southern New Guinea;
*Laughing kookaburra - native to eastern Australia, introduced to southwest Australia.

Kookaburras are sexually dimorphic. This is noticeable in the blue-winged and the rufous-bellied, where males have blue tails and females have reddish-brown tails.

Unusually for close relatives, the laughing and blue-winged species are direct competitors in the area where their ranges now overlap. This suggests that these two species evolved in isolation (possibly during a period when Australia and New Guinea were more distant.

Kookaburras are almost exclusively carnivorous, eating mice, snakes, insects, small reptiles and the young of other birds; they have also been known to take goldfish from garden ponds. In zoos they are usually fed food for birds of prey.

The most social birds will accept handouts and will take meat from barbecues. It is generally not advised to feed kookaburras ground beef or pet food as these do not include enough calcium and roughage.

They are territorial, except for the rufous-bellied, which often live with their young from the previous season.

They often sing as a chorus to mark their territory.