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Bird. At twilight, kookaburras make loud, long calls that sound like laughter to let all know the boundaries of their territory. The largest of the kingfishers, kookaburras mate for life, living in pairs or small family groups. Chicks are born blind and naked, taking a month for their feathers to fill in. Older siblings often help their parents with the next clutch of eggs. The birds grow up to 47 cm (18.5 in) long and weigh about .5 kg (1 lb). Their bills are as long as 10 cm (4 in). Getting all their moisture from their food, they never need to drink water. They nest in hollow trees or termite mounds. |
| Scientific
Name |
Lifespan |
| Dacelo gigas |
About 20 years |
| Diet |
| Carnivore. Snakes, lizards, mice, the young of other birds, as well as insects and small reptiles. |
| Predators and Threats |
| Cats, dogs, foxes, and larger predatory birds such as eagles and owls. |
| Habitat |
| Forests, open woodlands, or on the edges of plains in Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. |
