Just back from a walk where I witnessed some interesting behaviour
between two kookaburras and a snake. Initially an unusual noise
alerted me to a kookaburra in a nearby blackwood holding a small snake
in its bill. Suddenly another kookaburra flew in, grabbing one end of
the dangling snake. A tug-of-war followed and the victor flew to a
different tree, followed by the first one. The second one then flew
back to the blackwood and proceeded to juggle the snake in its bill.
This went on for several minutes. The other kookaburra landed nearby
but made no attempt to harass the one with the snake, nor take it
back. The one with the snake kept passing it back and forwards across
its bill and making the noises that I heard initially. I noticed that
the snake appeared to be headless. I left after about 5 minutes
watching, with the kookaburra still moving the snake through its bill.
I assumed from this that the bird that had the snake initially must
have removed the head and was a parent because it allowed the other
one to keep the snake. I also assumed that the second bird was a
young one learning to handle a long item of prey. Can anyone comment
if these assumptions are likely to be correct? Also does anyone have
any idea if young kookaburras are bitten by snakes while they are
learning how to manage them?
Thanks,
Sonja Ross
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