Laughing Kookaburra

[AntZ]

This guy came by to watch us gardening. Actually there were a pair, but these are both the same "Kooky".
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2645/3851417927_19181d4ec5_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtb_antz/3851417927/)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2475/3851427605_dc141dc0be_o.jpg

[tomorrowstreasures]

nice job! what a cute little bird~!

[AntZ]

nice job! what a cute little bird~!

Thanks. Actually they are not that little. If my memory is correct, they are the world's largest kingfisher. The beak is about 100mm(4in) long.

[Marko]

Nice shots antz - I really dig the colouring on the bird's feathers!

[kat]

Nice! Yah..the coloring is sweet!

[JAS_Photo]

Cool shots!

[tomorrowstreasures]

Thanks. Actually they are not that little. If my memory is correct, they are the world's largest kingfisher. The beak is about 100mm(4in) long.

dude! that is a seriously big bird!!! he looks so dainty on the branch!

[Mad Aussie]

Very late afternoon obviously there Antz. And yes ... largest of the Kingfisher species.

Seen a lot of these fellas lately on my bike rides.

[casil403]

Nice light in this Antz! They do look like our Kingfishers here...I didn't know they were related!

[tomorrowstreasures]

Nice light in this Antz! They do look like our Kingfishers here...I didn't know they were related!

i had no clue the EXISTED!:D

[Mad Aussie]

i had no clue the EXISTED!:D
Actually you probably did. The sounding of the Kookaburra 'laughing' has been used in jungle movies for decades :)

It's funny though ... we see these birds almost every day, I have photos of them ... yet have never bothered to display them here other than the 2 shots from the WA holiday. Some here might remember the blue wing and me commenting that the cage was too small. You can see those in the 1st post of this thread (http://www.photography.ca/Forums/showthread.php?t=3809&page=2)

Considering they are an icon of Australia we should give them more exposure shouldn't we AntZ? ;)

[AntZ]

....

Considering they are an icon of Australia we should give them more exposure shouldn't we AntZ? ;)
Yep. Here is some sound Kookaburra Laughter (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0ZbykXlg6Q)

[Mad Aussie]

Brilliant. Now all you Yanks and Canucks ... imagine waking to that sound (times about 10 birds) at about 10 mins to daybreak every day and you'll get an idea what living in the Aussie bush can be like! There's no sleeping in!

I imagine you get a lot of that near you huh AntZ?

[casil403]

Here is our Kingfisher...They look quite a bit alike.
Here's the sound they make although it's nothing like the sound your fellas make...our is more like a chatter:
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/wwwsounds/birds/hardy34sh.wav
Btw MA our morning sounds are crows calling all the time, especailly when camping.

[Mad Aussie]

Cows huh? How exciting it must be for you to wake up to that! :rolleyes:

[JAS_Photo]

I think she said crows but cows are noisy too! I have ravens and magpies in my backyard and they are very loud! :)

[Mad Aussie]

:laugh: She did say cRows not cows :headslap: That makes more sense! We have way too many crows too and they too wake us up. Unfortunately ... they are everywhere!

[AntZ]

Brilliant. Now all you Yanks and Canucks ... imagine waking to that sound (times about 10 birds) at about 10 mins to daybreak every day and you'll get an idea what living in the Aussie bush can be like! There's no sleeping in!

I imagine you get a lot of that near you huh AntZ?

Or Cockatoos whose calls are horrible...not to mention they can do quite a bit of damage if they set to chewing on something. I've had them ruin a solar heater and some lights.

[casil403]

Cows huh? How exciting it must be for you to wake up to that! :rolleyes:
Yes and you should see what they drop from the sky in flight...not good luck when it lands on you at all... :eek: :headslap: :yuck:
MA you're hilarious!
I gotta go with Raiven on this too...the magpies are really noisy here too!
BTW, I love the kookaburra laugh! How cool is that?! I imagine not very at 5-6am! :wall-an:
I remember a song about kookaburras sitting in old gum trees and doing something with/to monkeys he can see?????
Anyone know the rest feel free to give it a go!

[Mad Aussie]

Yes and you should see what they drop from the sky in flight...not good luck when it lands on you at all... :eek: :headslap: :yuck:
MA you're hilarious!
I gotta go with Raiven on this too...the magpies are really noisy here too!
BTW, I love the kookaburra laugh! How cool is that?! I imagine not very at 5-6am! :wall-an:
I remember a song about kookaburras sitting in old gum trees and doing something with/to monkeys he can see?????
Anyone know the rest feel free to give it a go!
:eek: Monkeys!! Where the hell did you get that?? :laugh:

"Kookaburra sits in the old gum treeeeeee .... merry merry king of the bush is heeeee .... LAUGH ... Kookaburra laugh ... Kookaburra gay your life must be!"
An old Aussie kids rhyme

A little kid (who pronounces Kookaburra weirdly) on Youtube singing the song ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46BGry0gRz4&feature=PlayList&p=18446C0D41BBF803&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=42

[Mad Aussie]

Can't believe it. I've found British, American and Japanese people all singing this song. I didn't realise it was so well known internationally!

[casil403]

:eek: Monkeys!! Where the hell did you get that?? :laugh:

That's too funny! :laugh: I always thought the kookaburra was "teasing all the monkeys he can see" or something like that! :headslap:
D'oh!
Oh on a completely different topic briefly...I know an AUS gal from Melbourne I work with who has got me completely hooked on Vegemite! Mmmmmmm! :clap:

[Mad Aussie]

We don't even have any monkeys in Australia unless you count when American Airlines lands :laugh:

[casil403]

We don't even have any monkeys in Australia unless you count when American Airlines lands :laugh:

LOL! I just know that I am never going to live this one down! i'll just bet you've told LeAngel already!

[casil403]

:footinmou

[Mad Aussie]

LOL! I just know that I am never going to live this one down! I'll just bet you've told LeAngel already!
Oh yes! And with that ... we are out of here. Off down to Woy Woy to stay with Chantelle for a few days ... AND ... believe it or not ... I'm taking my camera! Yes I know ... hard to believe (I haven't taken a photo for several months) but I really am ;)

Byeee

[tomorrowstreasures]

We don't even have any monkeys in Australia unless you count when American Airlines lands :laugh:

:eek: