Wednesday 29 October 2014

Wild Bird Wednesday 120 - Laughing Kookaburra

After last week's Magpies, this is another iconic Australian bird - the Laughing Kookaburra - or as it is called in my part of the world, just Kookaburra!  There is another species of Kookaburra further north from us, but I'd have to travel a very long way to see them!

I'm a few days into a hectic week, so I just tell you that this is the largest kingfisher in the world!

Also, I can't resist a good tale of taxonomy, busy or not.  The Laughing Kookaburra goes by the name of Dacelo novaeguineae.  The genus name is an anagram of the genus of the Kingfisher found in the UK - and the first specimen of this species was thought to have come from New Guinea.  In fact it came from what is now New South Wales in Australia.  So, the name is a combination of a private joke and a mistake!

In one of these pictures you can see the nictitating membrane, a thin membrane that is drawn over the eye to help keep it moist.






Now (as ever) its your turn to link up with WBW.  Click on the blue button below and off you go.

(For some reason, word verification may show up when some of you try to comment - this issue has started recently and may be to do with the security setting in some peoples internet browsers - I can assure you that the function is turned off at my end.  SM)


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52 comments:

  1. Unknown29 October 2014 at 02:08

    Awesome shots!

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  2. TexWisGirl29 October 2014 at 02:08

    awesome bird and awesome photos! love the fence percher!

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  3. Adam Jones29 October 2014 at 02:10

    Brilliant shots Stewart. What a cracking bird. I've only seen one in captivity, here in Cheshire. I guess that's the best I'll be able to do until I board a plane and head to Oz.

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  4. EG CameraGirl29 October 2014 at 02:11

    Handsome fellow! I love the sound of the word Kookaburra. Makes me laugh. :))

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  5. Karen29 October 2014 at 02:23

    Superb captures Stewart! One of my favourite Aussie birds.

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  6. Rohrerbot29 October 2014 at 02:35

    I can't wait to see these birds. Nice close ups and they remind me of Kingfishers...except maybe a little bit more ready for a pose:)

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  7. NatureFootstep29 October 2014 at 02:51

    I thought this bird was rare in your country. But I saw it almost every I was there.

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  8. Sylvia K29 October 2014 at 02:59

    Oh, I do agree with EG, handsome he is and I do love the name!! I've never seen one before and what a beauty he is!! Thanks so much for sharing, Stewart!

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  9. Author R. Mac Wheeler29 October 2014 at 03:00

    Beautiful bird

    Great shots

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  10. Hootin Anni29 October 2014 at 03:14

    Fabulous photos of a bird I'd like to photograph...but never will.

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  11. Revrunner29 October 2014 at 03:15

    Great looking bird!

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  12. Hannah29 October 2014 at 03:24

    Great shots of the Kookaburra, it would be fun to see them and the other kingfishers, it seems there are 9 in Oz, I just looked them up. I used to see them at the San Diego Zoo. Thanks for the info about their name, that is so funny. Those zoologists must have had fun. I know some of my flowers were named after someone's girlfriend, Melissa, Prunella. I have seen the one that lives up here a few times from a distance.

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  13. Sharon Wagner29 October 2014 at 03:24

    I love the fence shot. You really got some nice ones. He's so cute. I just illustrated him for the laughing Kookaburra nursery rhyme.

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  14. Andrea @ From The Sol29 October 2014 at 03:30

    He definately looks like an overstuffed Kingfisher ... beautiful in his onw way and I do believe I detect a smirk on his face as he sits over the Serenity sign ... which he is anything but :) Leave it to you to capture a visual oxymoron :) Have a great week, Stewart ...

    Andrea @ From The Sol

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  15. Anonymous29 October 2014 at 03:30

    These are great shots of that beautiful bird, Stewart!

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  16. Margaret Birding For Pleasure29 October 2014 at 03:35

    Great shots of this bird and I am laughing at the last shot with the word 'serenity' as that would not be the case when this bird is calling!! I can imitate this bird!!!

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  17. Janet Shaw29 October 2014 at 03:46

    Great Photos!

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  18. Jo29 October 2014 at 04:34

    I saw the nictating membrane in the fourth photo. What stunning pictures of such a beautiful bird. It's very much like our Kingfisher, particularly the Striped Kingfisher. Thanks for hosting this wonderful meme. I'll link up tomorrow (Wednesday) Greetings Jo, Tanzania

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  19. Kenneth Cole Schneider29 October 2014 at 04:44

    That last image is especially delightful. The bird seems to reflect the theme. No movie about Australia would be complete without the call of the Kookaburra!

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  20. A Colorful World29 October 2014 at 04:50

    It's such an awesome bird! Great photos! Serenity as long as he does make his distinctive call! :-)

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  21. Bethany Carson29 October 2014 at 04:57

    Marvellous shots of the kingfisher! What a handsome bird!

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  22. Phil Slade29 October 2014 at 06:07

    You surprised me there Stewart as I saw Giant Kingfisher in Gambia and thought them to be pretty big! Now Kookaburra is bigger and I am really impressed.

    Great pictures there of course.

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  23. Anonymous29 October 2014 at 06:08

    Pretty little bird - love the blue on his wings.

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  24. Findlay Wilde29 October 2014 at 06:11

    They are great pictures. It looks like a real solid, chunky bird, but I bet it is really agile.

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  25. mick29 October 2014 at 06:12

    Kookaburras are always beautiful and your photos are great!

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  26. Unknown29 October 2014 at 06:17

    I was always fascinated by this bird as a child as my older brother would test me on birds! He was a bird fan then. It has stuck with me over the yrs. lol x

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  27. sunshine29 October 2014 at 06:18

    I know them only from the zoo, but they are really fascinating birds, great photos and capture.

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  28. Sallie (FullTime-Life)29 October 2014 at 07:06

    I didn't know that this bird was a member of the Kingfisher family. It is such a beautiful bird. You have so many good ones!

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  29. eileeninmd29 October 2014 at 07:41

    This is one bird I would love to see in the wild. Awesome photos, Stewart.. Thanks for hosting..enjoy your week!

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  30. Brian King29 October 2014 at 08:45

    I've always thought these were fantastic looking birds! Love the bill! Your photos are beautiful!

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  31. Unknown29 October 2014 at 09:02

    Steward, oszukujesz. ;)
    :)))

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  32. Jen29 October 2014 at 10:48

    I'd probably make the drive to see the other one. My field guide should have come with a warning that birding can be addictive. It's more expensive than my poker habit.

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  33. Indrani29 October 2014 at 11:42

    We don't get to see this here.
    Great pics.

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  34. Gail Dixon29 October 2014 at 12:21

    That is a beautiful bird! Love how he is perched on the Serenity sign. Thank you for hosting WBW!

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  35. Linda29 October 2014 at 12:44

    Neat bird!

    I'm not seeing word verification, by the way.

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  36. Anonymous29 October 2014 at 14:33

    What a cutie! It did perch nicely to adorn the sign.

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  37. Unknown29 October 2014 at 18:35

    So cute, I hope he sung for you. They remind me of kingfishers, especially after tying to photograph them this weekend.

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  38. Mary Howell Cromer29 October 2014 at 22:21

    Magnificent beauties Stewart and the sign the one is perched on, is quite cute too. We have a species of Kookaburras at our Louisville Zoological Gardens but not sure which one.

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  39. Barbara/myth maker29 October 2014 at 22:48

    A very unusual bird... thank you for introducing him to me.

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  40. Unknown30 October 2014 at 00:13

    Fabulous shots! I googled the kookaburra a while back to listen to him and my family looked at me like I'd lost my marbles.

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  41. Christian Perrin30 October 2014 at 00:19

    Lovely shots, especially the first with that green 'bokeh' through the background.

    Had no idea that was the story behind 'Dacelo'!

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  42. Mary Hone30 October 2014 at 01:25

    What a neat looking bird. The kingfisher looks very similar.

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  43. jp@A Green Ridge30 October 2014 at 01:51

    Stewart, are they related to the Kingfisher? Their shape resembles them...:)JP

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  44. Janice30 October 2014 at 02:26

    Great captures! It is fun just saying the common name of this bird! Namaste!

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  45. BumbleVee30 October 2014 at 04:50

    Well, I always think they do look like they are smiling .... a wonderful thing to look at any day....

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  46. 4ncü Ev30 October 2014 at 16:31

    What a beautiful kingfisher! Photographing a kingfisher in Istanbul (it is very rare due to urbanisation and pollution of the waters) is one of my dreams. Have a wonderful week!

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  47. Optimistic Existentialist30 October 2014 at 23:54

    Looks a lot like our American Kingfisher as well!!!

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  48. Ana Mínguez Corella31 October 2014 at 00:08

    Awesome!!!.. Well-done.. :-)))

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  49. Adam Tilt31 October 2014 at 06:40

    Great taxonomy tale Stewart. Never knew that.

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  50. Liz1 November 2014 at 02:07

    Fabulous images, Stewart! I love Kookaburras!!

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  51. Seraphinas Phantasie1 November 2014 at 22:11

    Hi Stewart,
    marvelous photos of this little beautiful bird. Amazing !
    Have a nice weekend. Best regards, Synnöve

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  52. Pat Tillett6 November 2014 at 16:24

    I don't see him laughing, but he is a handsome looking character. Great photos Stewart...

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