Kookaburra vs blue tongue

[Marg Peachey <>]

The kooka would probably be looking for dinner to feed it's chicks.  They prey on lizards, but you are right - this one is large.  I would even guess she is gravid, about to have babies herself.

Marg,

ACT Wildlife

On Mon, Oct 12, 2015 at 3:06 PM, Stephanie Haygarth <> wrote:

Today on Mt Ainslie we heard a strong kooka alarm/warning call.  We followed it and found the bird swooping at the ground. Thinking it might be a snake or monitor we looked closer only to find a blue tongue lizard was the bird's focus.   On looking closely at the lizard we noticed a fresh wound on its side (see image) presumably made by the kooka.  We also saw that the kooka had its nest in a hollow directly above (the bird flew into and out of it while we were there).  We were surprised that a kookaburra would object so strongly to a blue tongue in this way; we assume the bird was not preying on the lizard as it would seem to be too big to carry to the nest.

Matthew and Stephanie

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Marg Peachey

0450 961 530 
www.feathersandquills.com

www.actwildlife.net