Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree

Remember that old song?  It's one of those ditties that EVERYONE can automatically rhyme off,  up there with "London Bridge is Falling Down".  Of course all those years ago when the words came humming off my lips, I didn't have a clue who or what a Kookaburra was or a Gum Tree or why it was laughing at me.  It was as enigmatic as a jolly swagman, a billabong or a Coolibah tree (note to self: break down Waltzing Matilda in a future posting).

So here's the thing, now that I live in Australia, I sure as heck know what Gum Trees are (synonymous with Eucalyptus) because they really are everywhere, and whilst living in Melbourne, I did hear the occasional distant laughter of a Kookaburra and was completely charmed.

Laughing Kookaburra

 However, Kookaburras seem to be a primary resident in Perth and while their loud call is supposed to echo human laughter, let me tell you they don't so much laugh as chortle, chuckle, snicker, whoop, crack up, shriek, and scream like a howling pack of monkeys at their preferred time of day ....6:30am ...exactly....outside my bedroom window. 

Here's another thing I bet you didn't know about Kookaburras.  They are the snobs of the aviary set.  When looking at them and encouraging them to  do their thing, they just stare off into space, refuse to make eye contact, show minimal movement, and utterly and completely ignore you.  Until of course you have stalked off, then they chortle at you like crazy monkeys.

If you could put an air bubble on top of this fellow, I just know he would be saying "I'm not listening, I'm not listening" or "Go away, you're boring me, I'm not a circus monkey",  Too right, just a crazy monkey!