Thursday, September 5, 2024

RANDOM PHOTO - A KOOKABURRA, NO, A KINGFISHER BUT NOW A KOOKABURRA

 I realize my title is totally confusing! This beauty, the Kookaburra, no not a Kookaburra as I had originally ID’d it, but identified as a Kingfisher by Elephant Child as you can see in her comment. Thank you very much! I looked up the various Kingfishers and stretching myself out at the end of the limb, I found a Red-backed Kingfisher here. Please let me know if you think I am correct, or not. The rest of my writing will apply to the Kookaburra in my second photo. The bird I now know as a Kingfisher was seen at the San Diego Zoo in September 2010. I remember being enthralled, totally riveted. I am at a loss as to how I misidentified it back then. Perhaps there were other birds in the aviary that I didn’t see at the time and read the sign nearby.You can read about the kookaburra at this link. Our Australian friends may have personal knowledge of both extraordinary birds, which I would love to read in a comment, and thank you again Elephant Child for clearing this up for me. 


And now for the ‘real’ one. I have to say, the Kingfisher is still a gorgeous bird! I have provided several links that the website shared about the Kookaburra in the following paragraph. I read:

"Kookaburras are terrestrial tree kingfishers of the genus Dacelo native to Australia and New guinea, which grow to between 11 and 19 inches (28 and 47 cm) in length and weigh around 11 ounces (300 g). The name is a loanword from Wiradjuri, "guuguubarra", onomatopoeic of its call. The loud, distinctive call of the laughing kookaburra is widely used as a stock sound effect in situations that involve an Australian bushy setting or tropical jungle, especially in older movies. They are found in habitats ranging from humid forest to arid savannah, as well as in suburban areas with tall trees or near running water. Though they belong to the larger group known as "kingfishers", kookaburras are not closely associated with water."


Addition on the same day:

I found this on my old blog just now. It was quite a while after seeing the one above in San Diego on the west coast.  This was found at a small zoo in our general area (east coast).  I added it and also the poem.  

I am also adding a cute video of the Kookuburra song on YouTube here.

“I took a photo of this sweet bird at the Reston Zoo a few weeks ago (this was actually in 2010).  It is a dream to see one in its own habitat one day.”



The Kookaburra
~Frank Halliwell~

They congregate at break of day,
When night is almost done,
For a joyous benediction
To the rising of the sun.

And once again come evening,
When the western sky so bright,
Surrenders all its duties
To the velvet cloak of night.

I'd like someone to explain to me,
Before I turn to clay
'Cause I've never heard that cackle
In the middle of the day.

Why they sometimes start at 4 AM
And wake me with a fright,
To join with them, to celebrate
The middle of the night.














38 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh, he is actually aqua!! How gorgeous! Looks unreal, like it was somehow colored, but I know it is real. I have seen them on the vet shows we watch and they can get quite large, and noisy. This must have been such a thrill!!

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    1. He truly was Ginny :) I believe there are different types and color variations, but I don’t know enough about them yet.

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  2. I 'think' the first one was mislabelled and is a kingfisher. Our kookaburras are not blue. The second is indeed a kooka - and a merry, merry king of the bush is he. I love them.

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    1. Thank you so much Sue, I shall change the ID as soon as I get going. Much appreciated :) How lovely that you have first-hand knowledge of them.

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  3. Lovely poem, Denise.
    Interesting is the Kookaburra. Don't seem to see or hear man down this way anymore. Once upon a time, one sat on our clothesline then dived into the big fishpond we had at that time and tried to take a goldfish but failed.
    I have one on my blog, just a photo - the link: https://whiteangels-thoughts.blogspot.com/search?q=kookaburra
    Another link to another up a tree is here: https://whiteangels-thoughts.blogspot.com/2017/12/odds-and-ends-in-emerald.html

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    1. Thank you Margaret, I will enjoy looking at your links very much :) Glad he didn’t get your goldfish :0

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  4. What a gorgeous bird that is. I love the poem

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  5. Love the Kookaburra and the poem! Take care, have a great day!

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    1. So glad! :) Thank you Eileen and the same to you.

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  6. Beautiful birds, all.
    I remember singing Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,
    Merry, merry king of the bush is he', though what relevance that had to young English schoolgirls in the south of England, I have no idea.

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    1. Isn’t that wonderful? What a great memory! Thank you for sharing that Janice, you have me smiling :)

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  7. I think they're both gorgeous birds! Look at that blue!
    hugs
    Donna

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  8. I once said the kookaburra is in the Tarzan films and when i hear one I think Tarzan because I was addicted the the books about him. I think it was Yam in scotland that said they would not be in a jungle. we looked it up and they were in the tarzan movies because of the loud noise they made, they just used any bird from anywhere for the noise.. doesn't matter to me what these birds are called, they are beautiful sight to see

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    1. Well, that is a coincidence because when I was young, one of my uncles had a considerable collection of paperbacks. Several were the Tarzan books that he let me borrow. I loved reading them and I also watched several of the old movies. Interesting about the birds in the movies. You’re right, they are a beautiful sight to see.

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  9. I of course have heard of the song, but had no idea of what a Kookaburra was. Now I know!

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    1. I don’t remember the song. I need to go on a search :)

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  10. Beautiful little kingfisher bird at the top.
    Now I'll have to Google what kookaburras sound like.

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    1. Thank you Sandra, it is a very pretty bird. I love that shade of blue :)

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  11. P.S. I just Googled to see what the kookaburra sounds like, and the description that came up with it says that "the kookaburra is a large terrestrial kingfisher with a loud bird call that sounds like human laughter," so maybe your original ID was not so wrong.

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    1. That’s great, thank you so much for doing that :)

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  12. I love the look of these gorgeous birds! I remember singing the Kookaburra song in elementary school, Denise. It's one of those songs I've never forgotten. Great photos as always.

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    1. That’s very interesting about the song Martha Ellen. I have no recollection of it at my school. Maybe it was because I was across the pond but then I read Jabblog’s comment. Maybe it was just my school or maybe my memory has failed me :) Thank you, happy you liked my photos.

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  13. Beautiful birds! I had to look Kookaburra up in Wikipedia. there is a children's nursery song. Charming.

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  14. I love both birds! I must admit that your bird looked a tad like our Kingfishers! cheers

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    1. Thank you Jenn, they are both beautiful birds :) Cheers!

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    1. Gracias, me alegra que te hayan gustado los pájaros. te mando un beso :)

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  16. Wow - you are not kidding...that is a beautiful bird!! I am amazed again at God's beautiful detail in creation!!

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    1. Thank you Jennifer, there is something very spiritual about these beautiful birds :)

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  17. That kingfisher is very colorful.

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  18. That is a darling little bird. Love its blue feathers. I've heard of this bird, but don't see them up here in the mountains. By reading the poem, it sounds like their song comes very early in the morning. I'll check out the video right now, thanks.

    ~Sheri

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