Презентация "Кукабарра"

General characteristics.

The Kookaburra belongs to the kingfisher family, is the largest representative of these winged creatures, very often they are called giant kingfishers. All birds of this species are predators, have a mottled color, a strong beak and tenacious paws. On average, they live for 20 years, but under favorable conditions in zoos they can step over the fifty-year mark. The homeland of the kookaburra is Eastern and Southeastern Australia, and only after the discovery of the mainland it was brought to New Zealand, Tasmania, New Guinea, where it successfully passed acclimatization and took root.

Appearance and features.

The body length of an adult is about 45 cm, the wingspan reaches 65 cm, the weight is 500 grams. By the age of six months, the chicks are the size of an adult bird. Their beak is powerful, wide, designed no longer for splitting, but for crushing food. Birds have strong, tenacious paws, small black eyes, which creates a feeling of piercing, threatening gaze, and the whole general appearance of the kookaburra is very serious, focused. Rare subspecies have a smaller body size, but a brighter color of the breast and flight feathers. Otherwise, they are exactly the same as their larger laughing brother.

What does the kookaburra eat?

It is an exceptionally carnivorous bird. In whole groups they hunt various rodents, frogs, small birds. They do not disdain ruining nests, eating other people's chicks, but only in exceptional cases with a lack of other food. With a sufficient amount of food, these predators do not encroach on the nests. Unlike its other relatives from the kingfisher family, the laughing bird never feeds on fish, they are generally indifferent to water. Thanks to their courage, strong beak and tenacious paws, they are able to hunt prey that even surpasses them in size.

They do not avoid kookaburras and venomous snakes, using cunning tactics during hunting. They attack her from behind, grab her with a powerful beak just below the occipital part, and then take off and throw her down from a height. The birds repeat these manipulations over and over again until the venomous snake dies, and only then begin to eat. When the snake is very large and cannot be lifted, the kookaburras hammer it with stones.

What does the kookaburra eat?

If a laughing bird has settled near a person, then it can carry

chickens, goslings from farmers, even fly into residential

premises in search of food.

Despite this, farmers and urban residents have a very positive attitude towards kookaburras and feed them whenever

possible, since these birds help

agriculture by eating dangerous snakes, rodents and other pests in huge numbers.

Population and status of the species.

Living on the territory of Australia and the nearest islands, many birds and animals fall into the rare category, the same applies to the kookaburra, but these birds are not endangered. Their status is stable. They were not included in the Red Book, but they are under the protection of the Australian government, like most of the birds and animals of the continent.

The Kookaburra is especially loved by Australians, it is a symbol of the continent along with the kangaroo. If a laughing bird has settled near human habitation, then this sociable creature is often perceived on a par with a domestic cat or dog, they will definitely protect and feed.