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The kokkaburra, or 'laughing jackass' as some folks call it, is native to Australia. Identified by a dull chocolate and white color and its silly hyena like laughter, the kokkaburra is the largest member of the kingfisher family. It feeds on live snakes and lizards, and kills them by dashing them against a tree or rock. They do this instinctively, even when fed with chunks of meat at the zoo! They dash it against something first before eating it. We did see a couple of them in the wild, one with a lizard in its beak. A better view was not possible, despite my using my friend's 200mm lens most of the time. These two were hidden behind foliage in a cage at the Taronga zoo. Another variety of kookkaburra is slightly more colorful.
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Australia
