Kookaburras!

While walking this morning, I checked on the kookaburras which I've previously noticed tend to perch in a couple of exotic pine trees, in a yard near my house. I spied one, 25-30 feet up, being sqawked at aggressively by an Indian myna. Eventually this harrassment succeeded, and it flew to a nearby Norfolk Island pine with its mate. But they were not safe there either! A peewee took up the sqawking and drove the kookaburras away completely ;-(

But I know they'll be back.

While staring up at the birds I was joined by a man who'd just moved in to a nearby house. He introduced himself, and told me the kookas had woken him at 5 o'clock this morning with their cackling....

For anyone who's never heard this sound, I can tell you it's the quintessential sound of Australia. Here is a link to the website of the Bird Observers' Club of Australia, which has recordings of Australian bird calls: http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/finder/display.cfm?id=18




Birds in Backyards - Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca) Fact sheet