There are two species of Kookaburra in Australia. They are the largest birds belonging to the Kingfisher family found in Australia.· The Blue-winged Kookaburra (Dacelo leachii) is distributed in coastal north Australia from the Pilbara in the west to just south of Brisbane – Toowoomba..· The Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae)  found in Eastern Australia from Cape York Peninsula to Eastern Eyre Peninsular in South Australia, and has been introduced into Tasmania and the South-West of Western Australia.

Care and diet are the same for both species.

To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A

The Blue-winged Kookaburra (Dacelo leachii) is very similar to the well-known Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) , only the Blue-winged Kookaburra appears much brighter and more top-heavy, and seems to be not as shy as the Laughing Kookaburra.
The Blue-winged Kookaburra is a large kingfisher with a big square head and a long bill. The adult  has a distinctive pale eye, (a juvenile will have a brown eye until it is 2 years of age). The head is off-white with brown streaks across the whole of the head, the shoulders are sky blue and it has a uniform blue rump. The throat is plain white and the underparts are white with faint scalloped orange-brown bars. The back is mid brown. Males have a dark blue tail while females' tails are barred red-brown or blackish. Otherwise the sexes are similar. The legs and feet are grey and the bill is dark above and yellowish below. Juveniles have paler streaks on the head with darker mottlings. There is slight geographical variation with plumage more buff in north-western Australia (race clifoni).
Habitat
Primarily savanna woodland but also timbered creek parks and gardens.

Diet
Very similar to the Laughing Kookaburra but the Blue-winged Kookaburra appears to take a higher proportion of snakes, possibly because these are more common in the tropics. Most prey is taken on the ground by hunting from a perch. Prey is seized with the bill after a glide and beaten against the perch.


To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A


Breeding
Generally a single pair raises the young but occasionally they will cooperatively breed as does the Laughing Kookaburra. They breed between September and November. Blue-winged Kookaburras nest in arboreal termite mounds or tree hollows. They show a strong preference for Poplar Gum (Eucalyptus alba).Blue-winged Kookaburra family groups are often larger than those of the Laughing Kookaburra, with up to 12 members.


To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A

The Laughing Kookaburra is approximately 45cms long from head to tail. Iti s the largest of its species.It has a creamy-white chest and head with brown markings/stripes through the eyes and on the crown. The back and wings are brown, with a blue patch on the side of each wing. Males usually have a blue patch on the rump, but it can be as small as one or two feathers. The tail is striped rufous* and brown with white tips to the feathers.
*Rufous is a colour that may be described as reddish-brown or brownish-red, as of rust or oxidised iron
The beak is large and strong, the top beak being black and the lower beak being buff-coloured.


To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A


The juvenile Laughing Kookaburra is easily distinguished by its shorter beak and tail-feathers which may be still growing. The lower beak is also black and turns slowly buff-coloured at approximately four months of age. Young birds are often darker on the chest than the adults.


To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A

Baby Kookaburras are called – pullus.
Hatchlings are young between the ages of 0-7 days, or until the eyes begin to open. A kookaburra is an Altricial young – meaning they are helpless, fragile, bottom-heavy and unable to walk. They rely on the parents totally for food and warmth. Baby Kookaburras without feathers need to be kept warm 24hrs a day between 33C and 37C, and a brooder or hot box is best for this. (To build your own hot box see the article in this issue of the magazine DIY GUY). The temperature would need to be gradually lowered as the feathers grow. A nest needs to be placed in the hospital cage or brooder, and the environment should be kept humid. Humidity should be 50-60%. This can be done by placing a dish of water in the brooder, add a seasponge to the dish, as this prevents any accidental drowning if your chick manages to get out of its nest. All bedding should be changed at least once per day, and the vent (cloaca) should be checked and cleaned regularly to make sure it doesn't become blocked with faeces. . Hatchlings should be fed a diet consisting of more fluid than solids. It will be easier to feed the bird if the accommodation has a door that opens from the top.



To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A

 
Nestlings: are chicks still in the nest, with open eyes and quills. Chicks should be fed a slightly higher proportion of solids than hatchlings. After about 10-12 days, the nestlings may be able to thermoregulate. The Kookaburra is a Hole nesting bird and will need the arrangement of a shoe box or wine cask with an opening at the end. As this is quite suitable at this age. This can be lined at the inner end with tissues, as the nestling will move backwards towards the hole and defecate through it.


To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A

Fledglings: are young birds that have full length primaries. When nestlings approach the fledgling stage they will become more active. They may start hopping around or may instantly fly. At this stage they should be transferred to a lined cocky cage or small aviary. At first they should be still kept indoors, then after a short time the young should be moved to a sheltered outdoor aviary.


To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A

Kookaburras breed in the spring and usually hatch two or three chicks which are bald and pink, and by sixteen days are covered in pin-feathers. They leave the nest at around thirty-six days of age and are fed by the adults until about three months of age.

Kookaburras generally lay three eggs at about 2-day intervals. If the food supply is not adequate, the third egg will be smaller and the third chick will also be smaller and at a disadvantage relative to its larger siblings. Chicks have a hook on the upper mandible, which disappears by the time of fledging. If the food supply to the chicks is not adequate, the chicks will quarrel, with the hook being used as a weapon. The smallest chick may even be killed by its larger siblings. If food is plentiful, the parent birds spend more time brooding the chicks and so the chicks are not able to fight.

To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A

Reasons for chicks coming into care
* Blood sucking insects
Nests accumulate a number of parasites - fleas, lice, fly larvae and mites - which can be discarded with the nests, but re-used nests, particularly nest hollows, are likely to carry parasites from previous years.
Unfortunately the more bugs in a nest the more weight a nestling loses each night when the bugs bite. Sickly chicks may be kicked out of the nest by the parents.

* Cold
Cold is another killer. Kookaburras need to be kept warm for several days after hatching.
Hole nesters like kingfishers and kookaburras, are at an advantage where chilling is concerned but they can accidentally fall from the nest doorway as they back up to the light to defecate. These young can usually be safely returned to the nest hole to rejoin their siblings. However, if they are cold or slightly injured they can be kept in care for a short time before returning them to their parents.


To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A


Rescue

When sent on a young bird rescue, it is advisable to take a variety of containers, such as margarine and /or ice cream containers, warmed hot water bottle, cardboard box or pet carriers, as well as some cloth for 'nest' padding. People have different definitions for 'small' and 'large' birds.
Many calls for baby birds have in fact been for something quite different, so be prepared. A baby emu turned out to be a plover, a baby pelican was an unfeathered Indian mynah, a sea eagle was a starling, a kookaburra was a tawny frogmouth, and so on! Try to identify the bird as soon as possible.

If the chick is injured or very cold it should be taken into care and monitored.
Take note at the rescue site of exactly:
where the chick was found,
whether there is a nest around,
if the parent birds are around and
are predators such as cats or currawongs there.

If the chick recovers well it might be possible to take it back to its parents.  Every year the lives of many young birds are upset by people who mean only to help. Fledglings leave the nest some time before they are able to fly. They are left for a time by the parents while they search for food. At this time the young birds sit quietly waiting, apparently abandoned. It is now that well meaning people find them and by mistake think they need help. Always ensure that rescue is necessary. These members of the public often can help identify reasons for the chick displacement.  
Returning a nestling to its parents requires either making a substitute nest or replacing the young in its original nest. An artificial nest can be make out of a flower pot, ice cream container or similar. Always make sure there is a drainage hole in the bottom.
A chick that is perching can either be returned to its parents or in the case of many Australian birds may be introduced to a substitute family. Birds that breed communally can often be persuaded to take and care for unrelated young. If you have an orphaned kookaburra that is attracting the interest of your local group of kookaburras it might be possible to encourage them to come down, feed and in time take the fledgling off with them. Other species that have been reported adopting orphans are magpies,peewees, wrens, currawongs, lorikeets, rosellas and silver eyes. Never try to put unrelated seagull chicks in a nest in the wild - they will be killed instantly.

 Do not feed the chick before returning it as it is important that it beg for food and screech and scream to attract its parent’s attention. Monitor from a distance to make sure that the parents recognise the chick and go down to feed it. If the chick is not claimed by the birds within two hours it must be taken into permanent care or maybe returned a couple of days later to see if it is subsequently accepted.
Some chicks hardly seem to notice that they have been through any trauma at all and are ready to be fed. Others may be suffering from some degree of shock or stress, and may be cold. A chick will normally feel quite hot as its body temperature can be five degrees hotter than a human’s. If it is cold, then your first priority will be to put it in a warm, dark box in a quiet place to recover and get its body temperature back to normal. Don’t feed the chick until you are sure it is warm and stable.
 
Rehydration
- a chick coming into care will be suffering from some degree of dehydration. Dip its beak into some warm water or alternatively dribble it onto the outside of the beak and wait for it to swallow it. One teaspoon of glucose in a cup of warm water is acceptable, but there are also special products available such as Vetafarm "Spark". A dehydrated bird will have wrinkled skin. In severe cases subcutaneous fluids can be injected under the skin by a very experienced carer or veterinarian.  

How to recognise the correct temperature?
 
Χ Does the chick feel hot or cold? A bird's body temperature is 42C. As this is higher than a human
body temperature the chick should feel warm to the touch.

Χ If it is restless and the wings are extended, it is too hot. It may also breathe with its mouth open
wide and neck stretched to attempt to cool itself.

Χ If it is lethargic and the crop isn't emptying, it may either be too cold, or very sick.
 
Chicks will expire faster if overheated than if under-heated, so start with a lower temperature and increase it until the optimum temperature is reached.
If you are using a light bulb as a source of heat, it is preferable to use coloured 25 or 40 watt bulbs rather than white or clear ones. To increase or decrease the temperature, adjust the height of the bulb or install a dimmer switch. If you are using a pet heat pad, you may need to add additional towels on top of the pad to ensure the chick isn't too hot. The chicks are then placed in their container on top of the covered heat pad.
 
A thermometer placed close to the bird's body will enable you to  check that the temperature is right at a glance.
 
Nestlings of hollow-nesting birds such as the kookaburra appear to be able to manufacture calcium without sunlight. It is still a mystery how they do so. As soon as they fledge and leave the nest hollow they must be given sunlight or vitamin D as with all other fledglings.
 The most common injuries to Kookaburras are broken wings or legs, internal injuries, concussion and bruising. Unless the bird is bleeding, place it gently in a warm quiet place for about an hour before examining it, because it will almost certainly be suffering from shock.
If a hospital box is not available, place the Kookaburra in a cardboard box, making sure it is the right size for the bird so that feathers will not be broken and have to regrow ( which can take up to twelve months). Place some extra holes in the box for ventilation and place a lid on the box.
If it is a cold day, a hot water bottle well wrapped in clean towels may be placed at one end of the box to keep the bird warm (about 25C.). Check the temperature of the water bottle every two hours to make sure it is still warm. Be careful, a cold water bottle will act as a heat sink and chill the bird.
If the bird is bleeding it can be stopped by holding a pad made from a clean cloth such as a handkerchief and applying pressure with fingers.
If the bird is having difficulty breathing, check mouth and throat and remove any obstructions.
Kookaburras don't usually drink, they usually derive enough moisture from their prey. Unless you are experienced with giving water with a syringe, do not risk getting water into the lungs. If you think the bird is dehydrated and it is a very hot day you can gently dribble water over the top of birds beak, so that it runs down sides of the beak.
When a bird is rescued an accurate history should be obtained and passed on to anyone who will attend to the bird

Where was it found?
With few exceptions, wild birds should be released as close to the point of rescue as possible. It is essential that the place where the bird came from be identified and recorded with as much detail as possible.

Why was it rescued?
Was the bird found on the side of a road, beneath a tree, in a cat’s mouth, in a backyard, caught by the children, found in a swimming pool, unable to fly, unable to walk – all these are important to note.

When was it rescued?
Birds that are held onto without medical attention have been shown to have a reduced chance of successful rehabilitation.
 
The length of time that an injury has existed will often determine a bird’s “treatability”. The fresher the injury, the better the chances of successful rehabilitation. Treatment of fresh, open fractures seem to be quite successful, but grossly contaminated wounds and/or dry exposed fracture fragments are very reliable indicators that rehabilitation is unlikely.
Kookaburras have weak feet compared with other Birds of Prey but their beaks are large and strong. It is preferable to have someone helping you when examining the bird. Even very young Kookaburras have extremely strong beaks. Take care when handling them.
Hold the bird firmly but gently well away from your face, keeping all fingers close to the bird's body or you may find your nose or your finger held in a vice-like grip which is hard to release.
If a wing or a leg is broken it will need to be splinted by a Vet, unless you have experience in doing this. If you are going to transport it to a Vet because of a broken wing place a temporary strapping on it to prevent further damage during transport.  Broken bones heal very quickly in birds so it is essential they are attended to urgently otherwise the bone may heal in the wrong position.
Check that eyes are wide open and clear, with both being the same size. Any abnormality could indicate concussion or brain damage and a Vet will be necessary because the bird may need medication to reduce the inflammation in the brain.
If the bird is standing with head bowed and both wings drooping it is probably feeling very weak. Check the body condition by feeling the keel-bone (sternum) at the front of bird on its chest. This should be well rounded and firm. If the keel bone is very sharp the bird has not been eating well, which could indicate disease.
Check the throat for Trichomoniasis (canker). This will appear as a cheesy-yellow fast growing, foul-smelling growth, which will be fatal if not treated promptly. Trichomoniasis can prevent the bird from swallowing food, and if it becomes really severe will interfere with the bird's ability to breathe. Never attempt to remove the growths (lesions) in birds which have Trichomoniasis, because it will bleed to death in a very short time.
Kookaburras may also be poisoned by insecticides. or by eating poisoned mice, or have internal parasites.
All the above problems will need to be treated by a Vet, preferably by one who knows birds.
Broken beaks will grow again, but it takes months and both top and bottom beaks will need to be filed a little at a time every two or three weeks with a medium bastard file until normal again. The lower beak may need to be cleaned out gently if a build-up of food has caused the tongue to be stuck down, making it difficult to swallow. This can be done by softening the build-up with a few drops of water, taking care not to get any in the birds lungs, and removing it slowly and carefully with a blunt object such as the rounded end of a nail file. Cleaning the beak should only be necessary if the bird is not feeding tself but watch for it anyway.
A common mistake made by inexperienced people is to assume that the bird will get better if an obvious fracture of the wing cannot be found. If a bird cannot fly, all the other injuries need to be ruled out before time and rest can be concluded to be the treatment of choice. Some diagnoses can be very difficult and require time and the ruling out of other injuries before they are made.
Treatment for birds can range from orthopaedic surgery to cage rest for a concussion. Where the veterinarian leaves off and the rehabilitator takes over will depend on the individual arrangements between the vet and the carer and the facilities available to both parties.

Feeding
Kookaburras are Carnivores – they eat whole prey in the wild and the same needs to be fed in captivity. Mice and rats make excellent food sources for many birds. Meat alone is not balanced and should be mixed with insectivore mix if no other food source is available. You can purchase Insectivore mix through Wombaroo.
Wombaroo pic of Insectivore mix and there logo with link
In the wild Kookaburras eat a variety of small animals, reptile and insects, such as: mice, small snakes and lizards, small birds and insects such as crickets, worms ,beetles and centipedes. In captivity they are usually fed mice, day-old-chicks, pieces of beef, small rats, sparrows and mealworms. It is important to give them as much natural food as possible because the feathers and fur provide roughage while the bones and insect shells provide calcium.
Knowing how a kookaburra catches its food is important as you will have to give training to your hand reared young as they get older.
The Kookaburra uses a "wait-and-pounce technique", taking up a post with a good view. When prey appears, the Kookaburra drops straight down from its perch, its wings back, with beak ready to grab its dinner. (they do not use their feet and claws to catch prey as an eagle would)

To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A

Large prey items like lizards and snakes are bashed against a tree or a rock, to kill them and soften them up before they are eaten.
Adult Kookaburras bash their prey on a perch to break up the bones and make it easier to eat. It also serves to "tenderise" the meat of the prey. Feathers and fur from their meals provide roughage while the bones & insect shells provide the calcium.
Kookaburras can devour snakes up to 3 ft in length.
They even continue with the "Bashing of Food" ritual in captivity when "Dead" food is fed to them, as it still serves the purpose of tenderising the flesh and pulverising the bones.
Although Kookaburras are NOT closely associated with WATER. They DO like to bathe, and will sometimes catch fish with plunging dives and, on occasion, raid suburban goldfish ponds.

To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A
 
Prey is stunned by dropping from a height or whacking it against a branch before swallowing. They will even kill poisonous snakes by grabbing them behind the head and smashing them against a rock until they are dead.
They regurgitate a "cast" once per day of undigested material in the form of a "dry" pellet (a bit like an owl does). The "Casts" resemble mammalian Droppings!
If they get stressed they will regurgitate their meal - even hours later.


To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A

An adult bird will eat about one and a half day-old-chicks per day or two to three mice a day. Young Kookaburras will eat a little more.
If stressed a Kookaburra will regurgitate their last meal, even hours later.
If it is necessary to force feed a Kookaburra, place the food well back in the mouth to help them swallow, as they have very short tongues. Food can be moistened by dipping it in a little water to make it slide down their throat more easily. A Kookaburras crop is between its legs so allow time for each piece to go down before trying another. When force feeding, small pieces of food are best, and the scissor-type tweezers are handy for placing food in their mouths to avoid getting bitten.
Baby Kookaburras (pullus) should be given pieces of food that are small enough for them to swallow without difficulty and the size of the pieces of food can be increased gradually as the bird grows.
In the wild, baby Kookaburras are fed by their parents and the other family members in the group until they are about three months of age, so if the bird has a short, all-black beak it will probably need to be hand fed.
Feed only freshly caught mice or ones that have been frozen and thawed out properly before use. Never feed mice which have been found dead as they may have been poisoned.
Very young birds need to be kept warm when being fed. Never feed a cold lifeless bird. Always warm it up first. Warm your hands and keep the chick wrapped - a facial tissue will suffice. Have the food at body temperature. Never feed a dehydrated bird, rehydrate it first. One teaspoon of glucose in a cup of warm water is acceptable, but there are special products available such as Vetafarm "Spark". A dehydrated bird will have wrinkled skin.

To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A
 

* Stick feeding
 kookaburra, koel, tawny frogmouths - place a ball of meat mixture on the end of a toothpick/stick, or held with tweezers. Dip in water and deposit at the back of the bird’s mouth.

To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A

* Bare hands method
Some birds can be difficult to encourage to open their beaks, kookaburras are very often difficult. In this case the beak should be prised open close to the base of the beak and the wetted food placed behind the tongue and past the tracea. If the head is held upright for a short time this will encourage the bird to swallow and not spit out the unfamiliar food.
 A Kookaburra's crop is between it's legs so if you had to force feed (or hand-feed a baby) allow extra time for the food to get as far down as the crop. You will have to push the food a little more to the back of their mouths. Scissor-type of tweezers are ideal for feeding like this to prevent getting bitten. Food should be moistened first, Dip it in water first. This will help the food slide down the throat easier as they also have very short tongues.
As a general rule, feed small meals often. After rehydration, newly hatched nestlings should be fed at least every half hour, 14 hours a day. Partially feathered young of good weight can be fed every hour or two
Weigh daily to monitor weight gain and therefore indicate adequacy of diet.

To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A
 
Kookaburras should be offered a ‘meat mix’ as a captive diet. This is a 50/50 mix of beef mince and either Insectivore Mix (Wombaroo) or ‘Insecta-pro’ (Vetafarm).

To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A

To feed these birds place small food items in their mouth with tweezers, forceps or the blunt end of a toothpick (for smaller species).Food should be placed well back in the mouth when the chick gapes. This is supplemented with mealworms and insects as well as insect-covered foliage. Chicks also require 2% of the meat weight in calcium as well as 1g of avian vitamins per 200g of food. This will ensure that the chick receives the correct nutritional content that it requires to grow healthy strong bones. As a general rule, carnivorous birds may take up to 50ml/kg body weight per feed.
Some kookaburras are quite calm around humans, but others are extremely nervous and often injure themselves trying to get away. They should be disturbed as little as possible and placing towels/blankets over their cages reduces the stress of visual stimuli. The flightier they are, the longer it takes them to eat in captivity and the more likely they are to damage their feathers. They routinely do not eat for the first 4 days and sometimes require force feeding (small mice are useful). They are also a kingfisher and often appreciate a shallow dish to bathe in.


When kookaburras are put in outside avairies, they spend a lot of time watching out their enclosures and perches should be offered to facilitate this as tail feathers are often damaged if they are hanging off wire frequently. Tail guards may be necessary. We do not use tail guards regularly, but if necessary, small zip lock plastic bags stapled to the feather shafts work well. The feathers should be dry when this is done as mould can grow on wet feathers.
Feeding – usually offered a mix of meal worms, fly pupae, crickets, Eco Pet dog food, and mice, the mice being a preferred food. Mice are useful to administer medications. The medications are injected into the dead mouse and fed to the kookaburra.

Natural hazards
Leaving the nest is the most hazardous step for a young bird, and for some this can be a rather premature but nevertheless essential event. A Kookaburra baby is fed by both parents and its older brothers and sisters who have yet to fly off and find their own area.

HOUSING
Baby Kookaburras without feathers need to be kept warm 24hrs. a day at around 30C, and a brooder or hot box is best for this. (see article in magazine on making a Hot Box in the DIY GUY article - Issue 6 Click HERE)

To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A

Young Kookaburras which no longer need brooding, and injured birds with strapping or splints etc. can be kept in a large cocky cage, partially covered with a blanket and cleaned out each day. Keep the bird in a quiet place away from draughts. household pets, people and household noise and activity. Keep handling to a minimum. Always remembering that it is a wild bird and is naturally afraid of people.
In captivity, Kookaburras are not a very active bird, but unless they are unable to fly, they need a large aviary with plenty of natural perches such as gum boughs and some stumps or rocks to sit on.
Kookaburras do not usually need to drink as they derive enough moisture from their diet but they love to bathe and a bird bath or shallow pond with the water changed regularly, is appreciated.
The Kookaburras' laughter is their territorial call and they laugh very loudly before dawn each morning which can cause big problems with neighbours. One Kookaburra in captivity may not laugh at all unless there are wild Kookaburras within hearing distance, as they are not soloists but choral singers.
It is best not to put Kookaburras into an aviary with other birds, especially small ones which they will eat. so house them separately.
In the wild the kookaburra search our termites mounds or hollows to lay there eggs.

To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A

Hygiene
Χ Wash hands before and after feeding young chicks Χ Clean the bill and surrounding skin after feeding.

Χ Food should be fresh, and warmed immediately before feeding.

Χ If reheating food in a microwave stir it thoroughly to avoid hot spots that can cause crop burn.
Χ Unused food should be discarded.

Χ Clean feeding implements immediately after use. Sterilise if the chick is unfeathered.

Χ Most kookaburra chicks will defecate over the edge of the nest. They will back up to the edge of the nest and deposit their faecal sac over its edge. If the edge of the artificial nest is too high for them to do this it is important to change the shape of the nest provided.

Χ Never under any circumstances leave nestlings in a nest that might have been brought with them. It is impossible for us to keep this type of construction clean.

Χ Older chicks start to poop over the side of the nest and can require much more attention to cleaning the nest and environment.

Χ Birds which nest in holes or hollows often back up to the opening of the nest box and propel their faeces as far away from the hollow as possible - this liquid waste can be propelled quite a range.

Χ Chicks will normally defecate immediately after being fed. Remove faeces immediately.



Any young Kookaburra chick that is hand-reared alone will to some extent become imprinted on the carer. This might not be immediately obvious to the carer but on release its conspecifics (group) will notice the difference and may shun it. Research has found that these human imprinted birds seldom breed in the wild. All its social behaviours will be misdirected towards people. When feeding chicks, therefore, try to do so in a way that the bird does not see you and above all avoid eye contact. The less handling that the bird has the better. Do not keep chicks that need frequent feeding in the kitchen even though it might be convenient to you.
 
It is vital, therefore, that a chick coming into care be buddied with others of its own kind immediately. If this is impossible, a mirror in the cage might help it to recognise others of its species. When they fledge they should be with a group in the aviary.
 
Stress
 
Even nestling and fledgling birds can be affected by stress. The more obvious signs of stress are fluffing-up their feathers or tucking their head under the wing. Appropriate food, shelter and comfort will decrease stress, which in turn, may increase their rates of recovery and release.

Housing
Nestlings feel secure and therefore less stressed if the nest size and shape is appropriate for the species. In the case of Kookaburra, they should be in a nest box made specifically for them – the hole must be at the top and sun must not be able to reach them as this can cause problems with their eyes later.
 
With juveniles, the housing should be lined with shadecloth and face the outdoors, with a cover to insulate them from human sights and sounds. Whenever possible all husbandry tasks, such as weighing, watering, cleaning and medicating should be done once a day at the one time. Arboreal birds (especially kookaburras) should be housed in enclosures that are at head height.
 
Cages should have an area where the birds can hide when they feel threatened - nest boxes or tree hollows for cavity nesters like the kookaburra and perches placed as high as possible in the cage, with some leafy branches for shelter.

To see wonderful pics please go to the article in the magazine - Issue 6 Part A