The Kookaburras Laughed at Me
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382357)
Rockingham, Australia
March 15, 2016 3:54am CST
I commented on a post this morning written by @Lucky15 about the sights, sounds and smells that are always present in the mornings.
When I stepped outside this morning I heard some kookaburras calling. They do this to establish their territory. There are four species of kookaburra. All belong to the Dacelo genus. They are also called the laughing jackass as they make a sound similar to a human laugh, which is very distinctive and far-reaching.
Kookaburras are the largest of the kingfisher family and native to Australia and New Guinea. They are carnivorous and not afraid to tackle snakes and lizards. They fly into a tree and drop the snake or lizard repeatedly until the spine is broken. They are relatively easy to tame and soon learn to come for food. In camping grounds, they can become a nuisance once they lose their fear of humans. They are adept at swooping on a barbecue and removing the juiciest steak. The link will take you to a recording of the kookaburra's laugh.
16 people like this
18 responses
@allknowing (153529)
• India
15 Mar 16
I remembered the song we used to sing on the Kookuburra
Kookaburra Sits In The Old Gum Tree
6 people like this
@allknowing (153529)
• India
15 Mar 16
@Platespinner When I had visited Australia and saw them on the tree I sang away (lol)
3 people like this
@JudyEv (382357)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 16
@Platespinner @allknowing It seems everyone in every country learnt this song while they were at school. I've noticed before if the song is mentioned, many people remember learning it.
3 people like this
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
15 Mar 16
It sounds as if the aboriginal name - gugubarra - is onomatopoeic. Might it mean 'bird that says gugu'? (The Greek word for owl - Tyto - is the same. It is equivalent to what a child might call it - 'Twit-woo'!)
Mention of the Kookaburra reminds me of a round we used to sing as kids:
Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,
Merry, merry king of the bush is he,
Laugh, Kookaburra, laugh, kookaburra
Gay your life must be.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (382357)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 16
According to the article I wrote on Infobarrel about the kookaburra, the common name comes from the Wiradjuri aboriginal group who used the term 'guuguubarra' to describe the sound of its call. It seems the kookaburra song was learnt in every school in every country. I don't think I've come across anyone yet who didn't learn it at school.
2 people like this
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
16 Mar 16
I love them and you are so blessed to see them Judy.
I have seen them on the telly sometime as I recall.
Fascinating creatures.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382357)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Mar 16
@TiarasOceanView It's a shame, isn't it, but a common problem with many wild creatures. Once they lose their fear of man, they can be quite dangerous.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45490)
• United States
15 Mar 16
I could use a bird that eats snakes....
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382357)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Mar 16
Apparently they are very careful about how they tackle the poisonous ones.
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
16 Mar 16
That is a great laugh, it made me want to laugh myself!! lol
1 person likes this
@Letranknight2015 (52665)
• Philippines
15 Mar 16
I wonder what would happen if you put this right next to a monkey's cage.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382357)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Mar 16
I can't imagine. Maybe the monkeys would get very annoyed thinking they were being laughed at.
@JudyEv (382357)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Mar 16
Yes, it is hard not to laugh with it - or at least smile.
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
15 Mar 16
think I heard that name, kookaburra, in a kids song once but I didnt know what they were
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
16 Mar 16
@JudyEv I cant remember the kids song, just that line and that it was at a daycare lol!
1 person likes this
@antonbunot (11146)
• Calgary, Alberta
16 Mar 16
Beautiful bird. Looks like a kingfisher!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382357)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Mar 16
It does, doesn't it? It belongs to the kingfisher family.
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
15 Mar 16
I have never seen one but as a child there was a song we sang about them.
I see its been added already.
Watch Kookaburra Sits In The Old Gum Tree Original Song with the lyrics on screen to sing-along to the famous Australian tune. :) “Kookaburra” or "Kookaburra...
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
16 Mar 16
@JudyEv probabley one of those songs that taught you a lot of things at once, diction, new words, tempo, who knows but we sang it a lot!
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43645)
• Denver, Colorado
15 Mar 16
Interesting. I've learned a lot of interesting facts since I joined here a month ago.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (54718)
• United States
15 Mar 16
When I was in elementary school we sang a song about them. Kookaburra sits in an old gum tree, merry merry king of the bush is he, laugh kookaburra , laugh kookaburra, gay your life must be.
@allknowing (153529)
• India
16 Mar 16
@Tampa_girl7 He he I was the first one to mention it.
2 people like this
@Tampa_girl7 (54718)
• United States
15 Mar 16
Just noticed that I wasn't the only one to mention the song.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382357)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Mar 16
@Tampa_girl7 Not only have many people learnt the song, it would seem that no-one has forgotten it either.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (24028)
• United Kingdom
15 Mar 16
I like the sound of the Kookaburra but then it is not that we would hear it every day here!
1 person likes this
