Hi Annabel
Kookaburras are communal nesters and communal livers for that matter. The
females of previous generations stay on and help out in bringing up the
youngsters of the next brood. The boys may even stay one year, I don't
know before they get kicked out. The arrangement is a lot like how mammals
organise themselves, with the women forming a strong bond and sharing child
rearing. Australia has the highest rate of communal living amongst birds
of any continent. It has been suggested that this has developed because of
dry, drought prone climate not having such reliable seasons as other places.
Many honeyeaters(I don't know how many) are communal nesters.
Gary
On 16 April 2012 11:23, Annabel Ashworth <> wrote:
>
> Saw a "Communal Laugh-in" by kookaburras the other day near Tamworth NSW.
> A pair started laughing down by the river, and kookaburras came to join
> them from all directions. Must have ended up with about 10 birds. They
> alternated between flying around in circles and perching to have a laugh.
> There were up to 5 birds flying at any one time. There didn't appear to
> be any territorial friction, although one pair was investigating a hollow.
> They kept jumping back from it, so I wondered if there might have been a
> snake or goanna in it. Had all the other birds come to support those two?
> That tree was the centre of the performance.
>
> The whole thing went on for ages and I am wondering if anyone has any
> suggestions as to what was happening?
>
> Cheers Annabel
>
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