Mission accomplished…baby Kookaburras take flight

Late last year Council was alerted by a concerned Newport resident to a pair of Kookaburras nesting in a tree hollow very close to the ground.

Due to the location of their hollow, sadly the two birds had lost some of their eggs to predators.

Council staff decided to step in to create some privacy for the love birds by installing a temporary fence.  

In December they were delighted to discover three eggs nestled in the tree hollow. By mid-January the cute chicks had hatched and approximately four weeks later they had fully fledged.

Apparently this is a case of third time lucky, with the two Kookaburras attempting to breed at this location over the last three years.

While Kookaburras are still classified as a common bird species, Birdlife Australia recently revealed that their numbers are in decline.

So going forward, we will install a custom-built hardwood nesting box for future breeding seasons. The box will be designed specifically for Kookaburras, so we hope it will meet with their seal of approval!

Here are a couple of tips that we can all do to help Kookaburras and other precious wildlife stay safe.

Provide water in a shady spot, on the ground in a low shallow dish or a small pond. It could be lifesaving for our wildlife on hot days.Keep your pets indoors at night and out of bushland to ensure nocturnal birds and animals stay safe.Consider building a nest box or possum drey in your backyard.Don’t use rat poisons and slug baits that can accumulate in the food chain and inadvertently kill native wildlife.

For more information about Kookaburras: