kookaburra

This dude and his mate made a late appearance on our fence this evening when I was kicking back with a glass of NZ white after a busy day in the garden.

These are the Astro versions of the kingfisher world. Muscly, single minded, fearsomely jawed (beaked) and very partial to a sausage (or anything protein based.) They are so not feathery (although they obviously are being birds!) but almost hairy.

I have had one close encounter with said bird. A few years ago on an early , cool morning walk a young kookaburra was loitering on the sidewalk. Deciding to give it a nurturing bosom level cuddle and return to the tree it may have fallen out of, junior clamped its very beautiful blue beak around one of said bosom nipples. Excruciating and I can only imagine similar to having a piercing.
After my walking mate had recovered from hysterics we levered junior off and as mama had at that point arrived on the scene, left to a great deal of chuckling!!