DAY 12: THE KINGFISHER

The great thing about the kingfisher is not how beautiful it is, nor that it is a very romantic bird -it apparently gives a very dramatic courtship display to impress its potential mate - no, there is something far more interesting about the kingfisher.....

It is related to the Australian KOOKABURRA, which is quite a character with quite a noisy personality.  The noises it makes include a laughing call, a quiet chuckle and a harsh kekkekkek sound.  But the fame of the kookaburra has been established by the following lyrics to a song about it:

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Merry merry king of the bush is he
Laugh, kookaburra, laugh!
What a happy life you lead.