Tony Clarke wrote:
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> I though you might enjoy the following:
>
> When Country Connoisseurs held a Prize Draw for identifying 3 birds at
> the
> Rutland Bird Fair, England, the only bird to get off lightly was
> Number 2
> the Great Spotted Woodpecker. Bird Number 1 was identified as Cucku,
> Cookoo, Coocoo, Coco, Coocku, Cooku, Cockoo, Coocko, Cucco.
>
> But the cuckoo paled into insignificance against Bird Number 3: the
> efforts
> were magnificent and the prize for spelling must go to
> 'Cookerborough'.
> >From a list of over 50, other notable attempts were: Kuckoburo,
> Coockabora,
> Cuckabara, Kuckoburo, Cuckoo Paria, Kooaborough, Cookerburra,
> Cockaboro,
> Kuckaboroo, Cookaburra, Cuckerboro, Kukabura, Cookubrough, Kaocborro,
> Kukaburra, Koohobkabura, Koukenabura, Kookuburrough, Cuckuwbure,
> Cuckahborra, Koukenabura, Koocobourgh, Cuckonara, Kucatbro. No wonder
> this
> bird has a lot to laugh about!
>
> Bye for now,
>
> Tony.
>
> Tony Clarke,
> CANARIAN NATURE TOURS,
> C/ República Dominicana, Nº 61,
> Barrio de Fátima,
> 38500 Güimar,
> Tenerife,
> Canary Islands,
> SPAIN.
>
> Tel: +34 922 524291
> Fax:
> E-Mail:
I doubt if the Kookaburra will mind. All versions were more or less
recognisable as a pronunciation of the name. I don't know which
aboriginal language the accepted version is derived from, but Robin
Hill's "Australian Birds" cites several aboriginal names -
Kowburra, Akkaburra, Arkooburra, Googooburra, Gurgaga, Gingarga 'and a
host of others'.
Another was used in a fine bush-ballad (Douglas Stewart's collection )as
'The wild Goburra's call'.
ANTHEA FLEMING
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