The Familial Kookaburra
Living on a lifestyle block in Queensland full of gum and avocado trees, we got to see lots of Kookaburras right up close. Being a two storied house on a hill we virtually eyeballed each other all day long. And in that time, I learnt a lot.
We had them coming on to the balcony every afternoon for a feed of mince. Who wouldn’t come?! Some of those cheeky butcher birds tried to get in on the free feed as well.
Among the Kookie family was an injured bird…healthy enough, just with a twisted foot that stopped him landing quite as gracefully on the balustrade. So, his family would either take food back to him in the tree or call to him to come over if we went inside. That way he could do a landing-splat onto the balcony itself rather than the railing.
Often, those butcher birds would suddenly appear when he had come over and try to take his food. Familial blood runs very strong for the Kookaburra and the Butcher birds met a bit of fierce competition on a few occasions. It was a great lesson in ‘blood running thick’. Points to the familial Kookaburra!
This drawing was done using charcoal on 180gms paper.
Lynda Symons Artistry 