The things a Kookaburra will eat

I thought I knew what Kookaburras eat, but this family of mine has shown me how inquisitive they are when it comes to tucker. Because I put out some fruit & veg out for my other visitors to the Tapas Bar, it amazes me what organic food they eat. They have to try everything. Something's they like and something's get tossed off the bar. Button (this year’s bub) is a classic, but I’ll get to that later.

When I’m feeding just them, their diet consists mainly of strips of beef, chicken, chicken bones.

C'mon bother, wouldn't you like to share?
Bwahahahaha



Don't you love it when it just rains treats.
C'mon Brother, surely you'll share that?
Bwahahaha

If they’ve been good, and I’ve cooked up some prawns (I always boil up a few extra for them), they get a treat. It's interesting watching their reaction to this. Of my family of 6, only 4 like whole prawns. Yet they all like the prawn heads I toss down. Go Figure!

If I have bacon, they get the rind. These strips I bury in the grass with just the tip showing. It’s a game we play “Snakes in the grass”. Unfortunately for them, I don’t eat a lot of bacon, but they love it when I do.

God, is there no end to this?

Looks like a snake, hey

But this post is about the other things they eat. The things you wouldn’t expect. And Button leads the way.

This is what they get to choose from; Rice, Potato, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin (steamed or mashed), Corn, Monstera Fruit, Peaches, Grapes, Mango, Bananas, Cockroaches, Spiders, Stick Insects (the last 3 compliments of my cats), oh yeah, flowers & berries.

Here are some photos of what they try;

Corn, great, time to make...............

 

POPCORN



And you thought we were meat eaters!
Welcome to the new age Kookaburras - Vegan
 

It's soft & squishy.
And it tastes like................



Banana - that's got to go!



Instead of Peaches & Cream
We have Peaches & Dandylions

But what she really likes is pumpkin.

I soo much like pumpkin



What devil thing is this?
What has he hidden under this pumpkin?
 

Maybe if I bang it so hard on the table that the corn jumps in fright...

I can't tell you the urge I had to pull the trigger

Hey Sis, you need to try this mango.
It's mangonificent

They're pretty keen on Potato too.
 

Over the lips, past the gums
Yeah, I know I'm a bird!
OK, so we don't have lips and we don't have gums.
But you get the jist.

Turns out we are partial to grapes of all things.

Who'd of thunk it? Kookas & grapes

they don't mind Chinese chicken omelette either

And then there's the flowers & bugs;

Pink looks tasty
I think so too.
I wouldn't mind eating pink (wink)

These Tobacco Tree berries look good
YUUUUUK, Got to go.

these blossoms have to go

He keeps putting these on the table.

They must taste OK
Nup, pretty ordinary actually.

The lengths I go to for these birds
This guy hit me in the thumb as thanks.
He got his just desserts!

Any that know me, this is dedication.
I HATE BLOODY SPIDERS

You're kidding me
Can't you see that

I do now.

My cats are always bringing in what they catch on the veranda.
They get the shits when I remove it from them to present to the Kookas.
 

AHHH, fresh cockroach.

So with all they eat, they digest what they can.
The bits they can't digest come back as this.
A bit like a fur ball.

Well that's it for what they like to eat.

OH, I forgot one their favourite things to chew on, and with that I'll see you on the next post.

If you enjoyed this post, here's a link to my latest post;

https://bradsburras.blogspot.com/2021/05/cedrick-nasty-lorikeet.html

Quality time with my Kookaburras

I thought it high time to spend some time bonding with the family.

All I have to do to call them is stand by the railing.  After a few seconds 4 of the crew turned up
Bitey (2 yr old boy), Boss (as old as methuselah), Bully (1 yr old girl) & Button (6 month old girl) turned up.

Walking along I gave each a small taste of what was to come. All except Bully. She doesn’t like hand feeding & flew off. She’s a strange bird. She doesn’t like hand feeding, yet will take exception to the others that do. She is constantly giving the others a hard time.

Bitey was 1st up

Followed by Boss

Um Button, you do know that's my finger.

That's more like it

Given the treats, it was time to get down to some serious 1 on 1 time.
First up was Boss, he's my favourite. It's nearly 4 years now that we go back. All here today are his kids. He really enjoys the interaction as do I. He's happy to sit there with me patting him & chatting away. He's a great listener.

C'mon, hop on

Yes, that is as soft as it looks



Who's got your beak?
I've got your beak.

Am I looking at you adoringly?
Or lining up your nose?

With our bonding done it was time to get down to the serious stuff. Feeding.

All was going well. That was up until Bitey had had enough of watching and waiting.

Bitey, I'm guessing you know what's in my hand.

"I knew there was a piece in there. See that Dad."
The sacrifices a parent makes.

The impatience of youth. Jumping on he was rewarded for his effort. Now let’s see if he can sit next to his Dad and stay well behaved. Yeah you guessed it.  Harmony lasted for all of 2 minutes. Dad, being a bit too chilled, took too long to swallow his piece of meat.


This gave Bitey an opportunity. Catching Boss unaware, he grabbed the other end of the meat. A game of tug of war ensued. What a commotion they made.

You let go. No you let go.

The wisdom of age. Boss realises the problem as well as the solution. He then jumps from my hand.

Saratoga Seagulls

 

Bitey won’t let go, so both fall to the earth at 32ft/s^2 (that means bloody fast). So now both are hurtling down.
Now’s the time to separate the boys from the men. A good time to play chicken. Bitey blinked and Boss flew off with prize.

Within a couple of minute’s they were both back.

While all this was going on, Button was sitting back watching.

She sees how this works and waits. It’s not long & Boss & Bitey are back on & back at it.


Yes, I'm a kid. Yes, I could land normally, but to come in on a slide......

 

Young, fast of beak & big in heart, off she goes to join the Musketeers of the Guard.
Late at night, whispered by the elders, Button would listen to tales of their adventures.
Travelling across many yards, she finally finds a Guard sitting at a Bar (Tapas).
“Sir, I’m looking to join that most feared of Armies – Musketeers of the Guard.”
“Leave me alone girls, they’re nothing but pussies”...
“Sir, you insult the Musketeers of the Guards. I am here to join them. I too would lay down my life in service of our King Boss”
“Piss off, you’re boring me”
“Sir, not only do you insult me, but also my King & his musketeers. You are a Brigand. Prepare to defend yourself – EN GARD”
A brief but fierce battle ensued. With thrust & parry and the clash of beaks.
Pausing, the Guard says “Girl do you know with whom you fight”
“Sir, you are a brigand and that is all I need to know”
“My name is d”Artagnan”
“Sir, I ,I, had no idea. You are one of King Boss’s special guard”
“You fight with great skill & courage girl. And there is no doubting your passion”
“Do you really want to make a difference” says d’Artagnan.
“Would you like to join the Kings personal Guard?”
“This is a special brotherhood you will be joining”.
“We live for our Brothers, but die for our King”
“OH yeah, our motto is…………
ALL FOR ONE, ONE FOR ALL

Father & son are eye to eye, beak to beak. What’s a girl to do……………..
Join in of course. Unfortunately photos don’t relay the noise they’re creating (for that and all this action check out the vids at the end of this blog).

A kookaburra stalemate

So now we have all 3 tugging away. It’s a no win situation. However, Button has been paying attention at school and knows Fulcrums Law. This states that there is less pressure at the tip of a beak, than the base of the beak.

Now she also knows Boss & Bulley can’t let go. So she steps back, takes aim and lurches forward. So now she has everything in her beak. She can now apply Fulcrums Law.

Fulcrums Law being applied

Boss can see what is happening and bails, saying under his breath..
"That's the bloody education I paid for".



Bitey's not convinced she has the upper beak and holds on.
Maybe a bit too long.
"Shit! This is the 2nd time today"



Who's a clever girl.

With everyone fed, things calmed down. All was good with the world.

Boss hopping back on

A quite moment of reflexion

A Father Daughter moment
Boss admiring what a good looking daughter he had.

Then without warning Button (on the left) sets into Boss. He flies off only to be grabbed by the toe. This leaves him flapping and squawking, upside down for 5 or 6 seconds before she released him.



WTF. Mad as a cut snake.
Teenage girls hey.
Adorable one second, spawn of Satan the next.

 

I’m not sure what set her off. But I am pretty sure he didn’t like it.

The next 2 photos remind me of my youth. In my late teens/early twenties, I was going out with a girl called Marion.

Me being a keen surfer & her mad about camping, many weekends were spent camping at different surf spots up & down the coast. The best surfing seems to be in the colder months. Less crowds.

Marion however, always had a cold nose. We came up with a solution. She would say she was cold, I would hold up my clenched left fist and she would insert her nose. I was her nose cosy. It must have been a sight for other motorists that would pass us on the highway with her nose firmly planted in my fist.

Babe, I've got a cold nose.

Knock yourself out Bub.

 

Well that's it for now folks.

Stay safe & we'll see what adventures await us next time.

Oh yeah, those videos.

https://youtu.be/GFVYJEt4gIU

https://youtu.be/buwOe0nzo_A