"group of endemic parrots, order Psittaciformes. Australian parrots comprise a sixth of the world's parrots, including many cockatoos and galahs. The kookaburra is the largest species of the kingfisher family, known for its call, which sounds uncannily like loud, echoing human laughter. The passerines of Australia, also known as songbirds or perching birds, include wrens, robins, the magpie group, thornbills, pardalotes, the huge honeyeater family, treecreepers, lyrebirds, birds of paradise and bowerbirds. The satin bowerbird has attracted the interest of evolutionary psychologists; it has a complex courtship ritual in which the male creates a bower filled with blue, shiny items"
"the early years of the 20th century ""kookaburra"" was included as an alternative name in ornithological publications but it was not until 1926 in the second edition of the ""Official Checklist of Birds of Australia"" that the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union officially adopted the name ""laughing kookaburra"". The name comes from Wiradhuri, an Aboriginal language now effectively extinct. The genus ""Dacelo"" contains four kookaburra species of which the rufous-bellied kookaburra and the spangled kookaburra are restricted to New Guinea and islands in the Torres Straits. The blue-winged kookaburra and the laughing kookaburra are both widespread in Australia. Two subspecies are"
"Rufous-bellied kookaburra The rufous-bellied kookaburra (""Dacelo gaudichaud""), originally known as Gaudichaud’s kookaburra after the French botanist Charles Gaudichaud-Beaupré, is a species of kookaburra which is widely distributed through the forests of lowland New Guinea. It has also been recorded on Saibai Island, Queensland, Australia. It has a black cap, blue-tinged wings, and a pale rufous belly and tail feathers, but its white bill distinguishes it very clearly from other kookaburras with their black bills. Juveniles, however, have a dark grey bill. Like the blue-winged kookaburra, the sexes can be distinguished by the colour of the tail feathers: blue in males"
"distribution from southern New Guinea and the moister parts of northern Australia, to the vicinity of Brisbane in southern Queensland across the Top End, and as far down the Western Australian coast as the Shark Bay area. However, it does not occur between Broome and Port Hedland in northwestern Australia. Widespread and common throughout its large range, the blue-winged kookaburra is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Found in family groups of up to 12 individuals, it lives in open savannah woodland and ""Melaleuca"" swamps, as well as farmlands such as sugar cane plantations."
"the rufous-bellied, where males have blue tails and females have reddish-brown tails. Kookaburras are almost exclusively carnivorous, eating mice, snakes, insects, small reptiles, and the young of other birds; they have also been known to take goldfish from garden ponds. In zoos they are usually fed food for birds of prey. The most social birds will accept handouts and will take meat from barbecues. It is generally not advised to feed kookaburras ground beef or pet food, as these do not include enough calcium and roughage. They are territorial, except for the rufous-bellied, which often live with their young from"
"with dark brown bars and white tips on the feathers. The heavy bill is black on top and bone-coloured on the bottom. The subspecies ""D. n. minor"" has a similar plumage to the nominate but is smaller in size. The laughing kookaburra can be distinguished from the similarly sized blue-winged kookaburra by its dark eye, dark eye-stripe, shorter bill and the smaller and duller blue areas on the wing and rump. Male blue-winged kookaburras also differ in having a barred blue and black tail. The name ""laughing kookaburra"" refers to the bird's ""laugh"", which it uses to establish territory among"
"worms, snakes and are known to take goldfish out of garden ponds. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classed the laughing kookaburra as a species of least concern as it has a huge range and large population, with no widespread threats. The laughing kookaburra was first described and illustrated (in black and white) by the French naturalist and explorer Pierre Sonnerat in his ""Voyage à la nouvelle Guinée"" which was published in 1776. He claimed to have seen the bird in New Guinea. In fact Sonnerat never visited New Guinea and the laughing kookaburra does not occur"
"species of kookaburras tend to live in family units, with offspring helping the parents hunt and care for the next generation of offspring. During mating season, the laughing kookaburra reputedly indulges in behaviour similar to that of a wattlebird. The female adopts a begging posture and vocalises like a young bird. The male then offers her his current catch accompanied with an ""oo oo oo"" sound. However, some observers maintain that the opposite happens - the female approaches the male with her current catch and offers it to him. Either way, they start breeding around October/November. If the first clutch"
"recognised: The laughing kookaburra is the largest kingfisher. It is a stout, stocky bird in length, with a large head, prominent brown eyes, and a very large bill. The sexes are very similar, although the female is usually larger and has less blue to the rump than the male. The male weighs and the female . They have a white or cream-coloured body and head with a dark brown stripe across each eye and more faintly over the top of the head. The wings and back are brown with sky blue spots on the shoulders. The tail is rusty reddish-orange"
"officially described by Nicholas Aylward Vigors and Thomas Horsfield in 1826, its specific name commemorating the British zoologist William Elford Leach. It is one of four members of the genus ""Dacelo"" which are commonly known as kookaburras. Alternative common names include barking or howling jackass, or Leach's kookaburra. The number of subspecies is unclear - with four recognised by most authorities, although others have proposed the three Australian subspecies gradually change across Australia and should be treated as one. The adult blue-winged kookaburra measures around in length and weighs 260 to 330 g. Compared to the related laughing kookaburra, it"
"and in partly cleared areas or farmland with trees along roads and fences. In urban areas it is found in parks and gardens. The range of the laughing kookaburra overlaps with that of the blue-winged kookaburra in an area of eastern Queensland that extends from the Cape York Peninsula south to near Brisbane. Around Cooktown the laughing kookaburra tends to favour areas near water while the blue-winged kookaburra keeps to drier habitats. Kookaburras occupy woodland territories (including forests) in loose family groups, and their laughter serves the same purpose as a great many other bird calls—to mark territorial borders. Most"
"on ten untrained Tanimbar corellas (""Cacatua goffini""), and found that they were able to solve complex mechanical puzzles. Cockatoo A cockatoo is a parrot that is any of the 21 species belonging to the bird family Cacatuidae, the only family in the superfamily Cacatuoidea. Along with the Psittacoidea (true parrots) and the Strigopoidea (large New Zealand parrots), they make up the order Psittaciformes (parrots). The family has a mainly Australasian distribution, ranging from the Philippines and the eastern Indonesian islands of Wallacea to New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Australia. Cockatoos are recognisable by the showy crests and curved bills."
"Coscoroba swan The coscoroba swan (""Coscoroba coscoroba"") is a species of waterfowl endemic to southern South America. It is the smallest of the birds called “swans”, but still a large species of waterfowl. It belongs to the subfamily Anserinae in the family of ducks, swans, and geese, Anatidae. It is placed in the monotypic genus ""Coscoroba"". The coscoroba swan is traditionally considered as an early branch from the common ancestor leading to true geese and swans, and recent genetic studies have associated a phylogenetic relationship between this species and the Cape Barren goose (""Cereopsis novaehollandiae"") as sister groups. Male coscoroba"
"Tree kingfisher The tree kingfishers or wood kingfishers, subfamily Halcyoninae, are the most numerous of the three subfamilies of birds in the kingfisher family, with around 70 species divided into 12 genera, including several species of kookaburras. The subfamily appears to have arisen in Indochina and Maritime Southeast Asia and then spread to many areas around the world. Tree kingfishers are widespread through Asia and Australasia, but also appear in Africa and the islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, using a range of habitats from tropical rainforest to open woodlands. The tree kingfishers are short-tailed, large-headed, compact birds with"
"fight intruders violently. Like their larger relatives, rufous-bellied kookaburras breed in termite mounds. Breeding usually takes place from May to October, though the young do not disperse fully until February and pairs have never been known to attempt a second brood in one year. Two white eggs are laid, though the actual incubation period is not known. Rufous-bellied kookaburra The rufous-bellied kookaburra (""Dacelo gaudichaud""), originally known as Gaudichaud’s kookaburra after the French botanist Charles Gaudichaud-Beaupré, is a species of kookaburra which is widely distributed through the forests of lowland New Guinea. It has also been recorded on Saibai Island, Queensland,"
"Jacamar The jacamars are a family, Galbulidae, of near passerine birds from tropical South and Central America, extending up to Mexico. The family contains five genera and 18 species. The family is closely related to the puffbirds, another Neotropical family, and the two families are often separated into their own order, Galbuliformes, separate from the Piciformes. They are principally birds of low-altitude woodlands and forests, and particularly of forest edge and canopy. The placement of the combined puffbird and jacamar lineage was in question, with some bone and muscle features suggesting they may be more closely related to the Coraciiformes."
"tail while female's is rufous. The juvenile has a female-like plumage with scale-patterned feathers. The sole representative of the genus Clytoceyx, the shovel-billed kookaburra is endemic to New Guinea. It primarily occurs in hill forests, but has been recorded from sea-level up to an altitude of 2400 m (7850 ft). It finds its food in mud or on moist ground. The diet consists mainly of earthworms, snails, beetles, lizards and insects. It is inconspicuous and infrequently seen. It is likely that it is partially crepuscular. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2017 found that the shovel-billed kookaburra nested with the"
"The blue-winged kookaburra hunts and eats a great variety of animals that live on or close to the ground. In the summer wet season, insects, lizards and frogs make up a higher proportion of their diet, while they eat arthropods such as crayfish, scorpions, spiders, fish, earthworms, small birds and rodents at other times. They have even been recorded waiting for and snatching insects flushed out by bushfires. The blue-winged kookaburra is a cooperative breeder, a group being made up of a breeding pair and one or more helper birds who help raise the young. Breeding occurs once a year"
"a jungle setting. The laughing kookaburra is native to eastern mainland Australia, but has also been introduced to parts of New Zealand, Tasmania, and Western Australia. It occupies dry eucalypt forest, woodland, city parks and gardens. This species is sedentary and occupies the same territory throughout the year. It is monogamous, retaining the same partner for life. A breeding pair can be accompanied by up to five fully grown non-breeding offspring from previous years that help the parents defend their territory and raise their young. The laughing kookaburra generally breeds in unlined tree holes or in excavated holes in arboreal"
"and rufous in females and immature birds. Rufous-bellied kookaburras are smaller than other kookaburra species at around as against the laughing kookaburra's and about as against the laughing kookaburra’s . Despite this major size difference, the rufous-bellied kookaburra has been known to form (infertile) hybrids with all other kookaburra species, though available genetic studies suggest it is clearly the most distant of the four. This kookaburra is unusual in that it occupies dense rainforests (as opposed to the open country preferred by other kookaburras) and does not live in cooperative breeding family groups but singly or when breeding in pairs."
"the previous season. They often sing as a chorus to mark their territory. All kookaburra species are listed as Least Concern. Australian law protects native birds, including kookaburras. The distinctive sound of the laughing kookaburra's call, which sounds like echoing human laughter, is widely used in filmmaking and television productions, as well as certain Disney theme park attractions, regardless of African, Asian and South American jungle settings. Kookaburras have also appeared in several video games, including (""Lineage II"", ""Battletoads"", and ""World of Warcraft"") and at least in one short story (Barry Wood's ""Nowhere to Go""). Olly the Kookaburra was one"
"kingfisher family Alcedinidae. The other two are Alcedininae and Cerylinae. The subfamily contains around 70 species divided into 12 genera. A molecular study published in 2017 found that the genera ""Dacelo"" and ""Actenoides"" as currently defined are paraphyletic. The shovel-billed kookaburra in the monotypic genus ""Clytoceyx"" sits within ""Dacelo"" and the glittering kingfisher in the monotypic genus ""Caridonax"" lies within ""Actenoides"". Kingfishers are short-tailed, large-headed, compact birds with long, pointed bills. Like other Coraciiformes, they are brightly coloured. The tree kingfishers are medium to large species, mostly typical kingfishers in appearance, although shovel-billed kookaburra has a huge conical bill, and"
"laughing kookaburras on Kawau Island. The island lies in the Hauraki Gulf, about north of Auckland on the North Island of New Zealand. It was thought that the introduction had been unsuccessful but in 1916 some birds were discovered on the adjacent mainland. It now breeds in a small region on the western side of the Hauraki Gulf between Leigh and Kumeu. The usual habitat is open sclerophyll forest and woodland. It is more common where the understory is open and sparse or where the ground is covered with grass. Tree-holes are needed for nesting. It also occurs near wetlands"
"industrious and cheerful bird who mated for life, was fearless and aggressive in the defence of its young and the area of territory it regarded as its own. The bird also had a unique call, not a song but a laugh; a chortle of rollicking mirth (to bring the widows back to laughter). Also the kookaburra is a typically and completely Australian symbol, one that could be worn proudly by every widow whatever her creed or ideals. The kookaburra was also the mascot of the 7th Division , commanded by Mrs Vasey’s husband, Major-General George Alan Vasey. Mrs Vasey asked"
"Cockatoo A cockatoo is a parrot that is any of the 21 species belonging to the bird family Cacatuidae, the only family in the superfamily Cacatuoidea. Along with the Psittacoidea (true parrots) and the Strigopoidea (large New Zealand parrots), they make up the order Psittaciformes (parrots). The family has a mainly Australasian distribution, ranging from the Philippines and the eastern Indonesian islands of Wallacea to New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Australia. Cockatoos are recognisable by the showy crests and curved bills. Their plumage is generally less colourful than that of other parrots, being mainly white, grey or black and"
"Cape Verde shearwater The Cape Verde shearwater (""Calonectris edwardsii""), or cagarra locally, is a medium-large shearwater, a seabird in the petrel family Procellariidae. It is endemic to the Cape Verde archipelago of Macaronesia in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of West Africa. The Cape Verde shearwater was originally described in 1883 by Émile Oustalet as a full species. It was later lumped as a subspecies of Cory's shearwater but has since been separated again, by Cornelis Hazevoet in 1995, as a distinct species. The Cape Verde shearwater has a slim, dark bill, with head and upperparts darker than Cory's."
"specifically distinct. Eight subspecies are normally recognized, falling into two groups. It is not quite clear how these are related to each other and to the buff-throated woodcreeper. Subspecies Cocoa woodcreeper The cocoa woodcreeper (""Xiphorhynchus susurrans"") is a passerine bird in the woodcreeper subfamily of the ovenbird family. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the buff-throated woodcreeper (""X. guttatus""). It is typically 23 cm long, and weighs 37 g. The head and neck are buff-streaked dark brown, the upper back is liver-brown, and the rest of the upperparts, wings and tail are rufous. The underparts are olive-brown with buff"
"Galbula Galbula is the type and largest genus of the jacamar family (Galbulidae) of piciform birds, and its suborder Galbulae. Sometimes, the Piciformes are split in two, with the Galbulae upranked to full order Galbuliformes. They are smallish to mid-sized forest birds of the Neotropics, with long pointed bills, elongated tails, and small feet. Colored in metallic iridescent hues – typically greenish – at least on the upperside, some have a red or brownish belly. Males and females are generally similar in appearance, but in most species differ in minor plumage details. As usual for Piciformes, they nest in burrows"
"species are presently recognized in this genus, and it is not very likely that this will change much. Listed in the presumed phylogenetic sequence, they are: A fossil species, ""Galbula hylochoreutes"", has been described from the mid-Miocene of Colombia. It was apparently more specialized for aerial feeding than the living species. Galbula Galbula is the type and largest genus of the jacamar family (Galbulidae) of piciform birds, and its suborder Galbulae. Sometimes, the Piciformes are split in two, with the Galbulae upranked to full order Galbuliformes. They are smallish to mid-sized forest birds of the Neotropics, with long pointed bills,"
"habitat. Assuming an average of 0.3 birds/ha the total population may be as large as 65 million individuals. The population in New Zealand is relatively small and is probably less than 500 individuals. Given the extended range and the large stable population, the species is evaluated as of ""least concern"" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Laughing kookaburras are a common sight in suburban gardens and urban settings, even in built-up areas, and are so tame that they will often eat out of a person's hands. It is not uncommon for kookaburras to snatch food out of people's"
"Houbara bustard The houbara bustard (""Chlamydotis undulata""), also called or African houbara, is a large bird in the bustard family. It is found in arid habitats in North Africa and southwestern Asia with a population on the Canary Islands. It is dull brown with black markings on the wings with a greyish neck and a black ruff along the side of the neck. Males and females appear very similar but males are larger and heavier. This species formerly included MacQueen's bustard which is found further east and sometimes known as the Asian houbara as a subspecies. The houbara bustard is"
"Ovenbird The ovenbird (""Seiurus aurocapilla"") is a small songbird of the New World warbler family (Parulidae). This migratory bird breeds in eastern North America and winters in Central America, many Caribbean islands, Florida and northern Venezuela. The genus Seiurus is currently treated as monotypic, containing only the ovenbird; it is genetically distinct from all other species in the family Parulidae, probably the first genus to evolve separately from the rest of the family. Before the recent genetic studies were carried out, the waterthrushes were also included in ""Seiurus""; these are now treated separately in the genus ""Parkesia"" as they are"
"Cacique (bird) The caciques are passerine birds in the New World blackbird family which are resident breeders in tropical South America north to Mexico. All of the group are in currently placed in the genus Cacicus, except the aberrant yellow-billed cacique (""Amblycercus holosericeus""), and the Mexican cacique (""Cassiculus melanicterus"") which constitute respective monotypic genera. Judging from mitochondrial DNA cytochrome ""b"" and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 sequence (Price & Lanyon 2002), the aberrant oropendolas band-tailed oropendola (""Ocyalus latirostris"") and casqued oropendola, ""Psarocolius oseryi"" (""Ocyalus oseryi""?) seem to be closer to the caciques. The caciques are birds associated with woodland or forest."