Food whacking: Laughing Kookaburras are the largest of the kingfishers and their

food preferences reflect that. Kookaburras will eat a variety of insects and

invertebrates, but the Laughing Kookaburra specializes in eating larger prey, like

snakes and lizards. Even though Kookaburras are birds of prey, they don’t have

the typical features seen with these specialized hunters—they don’t have strong

taloned feet or sharp beaks made for ripping meat. Instead, the kookaburra uses

its head, literally! Kookaburras will grab their prey and holding on to it using

their large beaks, will then whack their prey repeatedly against rocks or logs until

it is dead. Then, it’s time to eat!

o Sound: Laughing Kookaburras were named for their very distinctive call. The call

they make to establish and maintain their territory sounds an awful lot like

someone laughing. Since they live in family groups, when the whole family starts

to call, it sounds like someone told a fantastic joke to a crowded room. The

sound of the laughing kookaburra is so distinctive that it has been hijacked by

Hollywood! Have you ever watched a movie with a jungle scene and heard what

sounds like monkeys in the background? Listen closely, because it’s frequently

our friends the kookaburras calling!

 Kookaburras will always laugh at your jokes.