Kookaburra Sausage Snatchers, Lake Tinaroo Wildlife

It’s not unusual to attract wildlife when you’re camping in Australia. Living in the tropics involves plenty of up-close wildlife interaction. We’ve had wallabies and possums visit our tent more than once. But did you know kookaburras like to snatch your food too? I’ve seen them snatch chicken legs directly from somebody’s hand down south, but on Lake Tinaroo, they like to go for your sausages.

Everybody knows that in Australia you have to watch out for sharks, jellyfish in stinger season, funnel webs, cassowaries, saltwater crocodiles,  redbacks, stinging tree, and drop bears.

That’s right, isn’t it?

It’s common knowledge. Australia is one of the few countries on this fascinating planet that actually advertises how dangerous it is.

But I have a new menace on the Lake Tinaroo wildlife scene to share with you. When you’re done catching yabbies watch out for that all-Aussie icon, the laughing Kookaburra.

I hate Kookaburras!

They wake me up at sparrow’s cough every morning and have a good laugh at me in the process.

There is nothing quite as raucous, tuneless, or rasping as a whole family of these overgrown kingfishers going for it at 5.30 am.

That aside, they’re not exactly pretty, give me a rainbow lorikeet or a galah any day, but kookaburras are ugly and generally look like they need a good wash.

They also steal your food and are quite brazen and fearless about it.

I once watched a lady eating chicken legs down in NSW. As she raised drumstick to lips, down came the chicken thief and snatched her lunch right from her mouth.

This weekend we have been camping up on Lake Tinaroo. This beady-eyed horror sat watching me cooking alfresco, just waiting for his chance to snatch our sausages from the hot barbecue. He never moved, just watched and waited with malicious intent. I outsmarted him this time, but I was on constant snag vigil.

I leave you with a charming little song that my children like to sing, I think you know the tune.

Kookaburra sits on the electric wire

Jumping up and down ‘cos his bum’s on fire

Laugh Kookaburra laugh….

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