· The kookaburra is the name for four species of birds that live in Australia	Click here for Kookaburra photos!
	· The laughing kookaburra is the largest member of its family and is a stocky bird about 46cm long, weighing approximately 5 kg
	· They have a big square head and really huge beak
	· The bird rarely catches fish, living mainly on large insects, lizards, mice, small birds, and an occasional snake
	· Kookaburras get all the moisture they need from their food; therefore drinking is unnecessary. They build nests in hollow trees or a termite mound, which protects the nest from predators

· 2 - 4 pure white eggs are laid in the hollow of a tree. The eggs are laid a day apart, and the incubation time is anywhere from 24 to 26 days
· The young may stay in the family for several years, helping to raise and protect new members to the family
· Kookaburras can live 20 years or more
· They live in forests, woodlands and many suburban areas
· The kookaburra has dull plumage (feathers) · The Kookaburra has a very strange voice. It almost sounds like a person laughing. That's why it is sometimes called a Laughing Kookaburra. They can get really noisy when arguing with each other about who is in someone else's territory
· Kookaburras have an unusual method of parenting. When the young are reared, they tend to stay around the nest and help out the parents with the next clutch. This is unusual, as most birds leave the nest in search of mates and territory at this stage