The kookaburra is the largest member of the kingfisher family. It feeds on small insects, lizards, frogs, fish, small vertebrates and small snakes. The kookaburra has a magnificent laugh and often has you wondering who it's laughing at. They mainly laugh at dusk and dawn but sometimes at different times of the day. The kookaburra is also called the laughing jackass. When the kookaburra starts to laugh more kookaburras join in the chorus of laughing causing an uproar which can be heard throughout the Australian bush.

The kookaburra is not really a native bird to Australia. It was first discovered in Africa and introduced into east and south Australia. People introduced the birds into Western Australia and Tasmania.

The kookaburra makes a nest in a tree hollow or in old termite mounds and lays white eggs. They are a stocky bird with large heads and beaks. The laughing kookaburra's plumage is mainly black and brown on it's wings and tail with a gorgeous light creamy coloured breast. The photos above and below were taken on a rainy day and the birds were rather wet so they ruffled up their feathers to keep warm.