The Kookaburra

(Dacelo leachii and Dacelo novaeguineae).

The Kookaburra has endeared itself to Australians for hundreds of years and has earned several nicknames.There are two species of Kookaburra - the Blue Winged (also known as Leach Kingfisher, Howling Jackass and Barking Jackass) and the Laughing Kookaburra (also known as Giant Kingfisher, Laughing Jackass and Settler's (or Bushman's) Clock). The Blue Winged species is found throughout northern tropical Australia while the Laughing Kookaburra is found widely distributed through the eastern states (including Tasmania) and in the south-west of Western Australia.

The Kookaburra, a member of the kingfisher family, is a sedentary bird inhabiting most kinds of wooded country. Small groups normally band together to maintain a territory and co-operate in raising the young. Both species are common and are often seen in cities and towns. The extraordinary laughing call of the Kookaburra is usually heard at its strongest in the early morning and at sunset. MP3: Wave:

The Kookaburra normally feeds on small reptiles, insects, crabs and small fish. It nests in a hole or hollow of a tree, in a chamber tunnelled into a termites' nest in a tree or, more rarely, in an earthen bank. The clutch normally consists of two to four white eggs, the breeding season for both species being from September to December.

Sources:
Neville W. Cayley's What Bird is That - 1931.
Australia's Wilderness Heritage - Flora & Fauna, 1988.

• 1919-21 Trial Pennies & Halfpennies.
• 1989 Silver $10 Dollar Birds of Australia and Piedfort.
• Perth Mint Bullion Silver - Since 1990.