My husband went on a trip to Australia a long time ago and saw many adorable animals including the Tasmanian Devils and a Laughing Kookaburra.

The Kookaburra is a funny looking bird from the family of Kingfishers. It has a famous bird call that resembles laughter and a compact body, short neck, a long, pointed bill and short legs. The kookaburras are 17 inches tall and are the largest and most vocal kingfishers in the world. Their feathers are mostly brown and with small patches of blue on its wings and it had a blue rump. The males have a blue tail.

Kookaburras eat insects, other invertebrates, lizards, snakes, other small birds, and mammals. They are excellent hunters. They are also very intelligent and can quickly swoop down out of the sky and snatch their prey even if it is another bird.   

Kookaburras live in family groups that include a breeding pair and older offspring that assist by defending territorial boundaries and feeding and caring for younger siblings. They live with their family for about 4 years before establishing their own territory and producing their own offspring. Adults can live for up to 20 years.

I have always loved it when my husband and his father tell me fascinating stories of the places that they have traveled to! I learn about a lot of things and even discovered the traditional “Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree” song, a cute melody about one of Australia’s most famous birds.