It’s April and young A.C.T. Kookaburras are out of the nest and taking on an important role in the Kookaburra family. If you see one Kookaburra around, it’s likely that a whole family is living near you – and there are plenty of things you can do to be a Backyard Buddy to Kookaburras.
Backyard Buddies is a free program run by Australia’s Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife. Each month, you get a Backyard Buddies email (B-mail) with tips to make your backyard inviting and safe for native animals. Download a free Kookaburra factsheet and get Bmail at www.backyardbuddies.net.au.
“Around this time of year, Kookaburras that were only chicks a little while ago are now old enough to begin helping out their parents,” said Ms Leonie Gale, CEO of the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife. “These young birds stay with their family group for up to four years, raising siblings and helping their family to defend their home turf.”
“The Kookaburra’s distinctive ‘koo-hoo-hoo-hoo-haa-haa-haa-haa’ isn’t just a belly laugh – it’s a territorial display.”
“Kookaburras make different sounds to communicate,” said Ms Gale. “At any time of year they chuckle to locate family members. During the breeding season from September to January they make a ‘chuck’ to find their family, and ‘squawk’ to beg for food from other Kookaburras in their group.”
“Their famous laugh tells other Kookaburras that ‘This is our home, and we will fight for it.’ If you listen out for these calls, usually made in chorus by a family of Kookaburras, you should be able to discover the boundaries of their territory.”
“Watch out if you hear a ‘Kooaa’ and a loud cackle – the first call is a warning to the family group, and the second signals aggression. Kookaburras cackle maniacally before two warring groups clash over territory.”
“To defend their home, the Laughing Kookaburras we have in A.C.T. dart sharply to and fro, passing each other in mid-air like trapeze artists. Barrages of sinister laughter reverberate between the disputing groups, amongst the bright flashes of their brown and blue wings.” Ms Gale said.
“One Kookaburra family’s territory can extend up to a hundred house blocks and include some parkland as well. Kookaburras are quite at home in urban areas, so they’re not an uncommon A.C.T. site.”
“As young Kookaburras don’t go off and start their own families for a number of years, the overall birth rate of the species is low. Kookaburras can find themselves in a lot of trouble if a sudden event such as habitat destruction or a misuse of pesticides wipes out a number of birds. It will take the local population a long time to recover.”
“But there are a lot of simple things we can do to protect this national icon, our laughing buddy. And Kookaburras are great to have around – not only do they provide lots of entertainment, but they eat the mice, insects and even small snakes from our gardens too!” said Ms Gale.
Simple tips to help protect our Kookaburras
• Avoid spraying chemicals in your garden as they could affect other species than the ones you’re targeting.
• Don’t put rodent poison outdoors as a Kookaburra could eat a poisoned mouse and become ill or die.
• Keep your pets indoors, especially cats at night, as they can disturb or even attack native birds.
• If you find an injured Kookaburra, call your local animal rescue and rehabilitation group or vet.
• Leave old trees around your area as these provide perfect nesting sites for Kookaburras, and plentiful shade and fresh air for us.
• Plant new gum trees so that there will be plenty of good nesting sites available in the future.
• If you want to see Kookaburras up close, try including some stumps and rocks around your garden—Kookaburras love to sit on them.
• Mulch your garden and this will attract lizards and insects. If you’re lucky, Kookaburras will discover that your place is a great place to catch a meal.
• Kookaburras have fantastic hunting skills, and make a great living catching their natural prey. They don’t need us to feed them or they could become dependent on people or become sick.
Kookaburra Facts
• Kookaburras can live for up to 20 years in good conditions.
• There are two species of Kookaburra – the Laughing Kookaburra and the Blue-winged Kookaburra.
• Laughing Kookaburras live in eastern Australia in QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC and SA. They have been introduced to TAS and south-western WA.
• Blue-winged Kookaburras live along Australia’s north coast in QLD, NT and WA.
• Blue-winged Kookaburras are smaller than Laughing Kookaburras, have blue wings and tail, and a white iris in contrast to the Laughing Kookaburra’s deep brown eye.
• Kookaburras have several different calls to communicate.
• Kookaburras are the largest kind of Kingfisher – but they don’t usually eat fish!
