Kookaburra

Description

The Kookaburra is white, brown and has a bluish colour on the wings. They are brown over the eyes. This makes it look like a mask. It is also brown on the wing except for the small amount of blue on the side. It has a brown striped tail with some white on the feather tips. Every where else is a cream or white colour. The beak has a brown top with a creamy white bottom. They can also be easily identified from their call. It sounds like a laugh or a giggle and this distinctive call always makes them heard.

Breeding

The Kookaburra breeds from late winter to mid summer and they mate for life. The mated adult pair and previous offspring all help and care for the newest in the family group.

Habitat

Kookaburras live in hollow tree trunks or hollow branches, where they can build their nest and care for their young. They also live where there is food and water available and where there are no other kookaburras. They are very territorial. They are found in Eastern Australia but they were introduced to Western Australia.

Diet

They eat insects, small snakes, lizards and small mammals. They eat insects whole, but they kill their larger prey by hitting it against something.

Gutsache and Grub

We asked our Assistant Coach, Carol, about the kookaburras that come to her balcony everyday for a meal. They are in the wild but they have learnt to come to Carol’s house for a visit and to have  feed. Here is the information that we got from Carol about Gutsache – pronounced guts-ache, and Grub!

• Gutsache and Grub are a mated pair of Kookaburras.  They eat minced beef to which Carol adds a crushed up calcium tablet and egg.
  
• The Kookaburras come at about 7.30am and also around about 7.30pm every day.  They tend to come at different times through winter but they still come regularly.
  
• They are able to find food for themselves, such as small lizards and worms, but they still come to have food at  Carol’s house every day.
  
• Gutsache and Grub make other sounds apart from their Kookaburra ‘laugh’.  They also grunt and hit their large beak on the balcony where Carol feeds them.
  
• Carol can stroke them on their backs, but she doesn’t encourage this.

Video

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