This bird has never been seen in our backyard before. It has blue wings and flew like a baby, but stayed still for me to take photos. Is it a young kookaburra?
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S.C. Windermere.
Your bird is an immature sacred kingfisher, hatched a couple of months ago. It would be almost full size.
Kingfishers are migrants that move around, especially when returning in September and October. Young ones also move after they become independent like this one. It will gradually move northward for winter – probably to New Guinea or Indonesia – before returning next spring.
The sacred kingfisher does not need water or fish to survive. It can live in dry bush where skinks, dragonflies and other small creatures occur, and by dams and creeks where it might feed on small fish and tadpoles as well.
- Questions and photos are welcome. Send to Roger Thomas at The Courier, PO Box 21, Ballarat, 3353, or email to rthomas@vic.australis.com.au