'Incredible' photo reveals what kookaburra eats for a snack—can you guess what it is?

When you think of Australia’s most iconic animals, there’s no doubt that kookaburras make that list. These large kingfisher birds aren’t just well-known for their loud, raucous cackles, they have a reputation as skilled predators, too.

That’s why when a photo of the birds snacking on their prey was posted to social media this week, it both shocked and amazed many Aussies.


The image, taken in Brunswick Heads along the picturesque New South Wales coastline, captured a kookaburra sitting atop a low-hanging branch, nonchalantly devouring a huntsman spider it had caught.

Crammed tightly within its sharp beak, you can see the spider's eight long, wriggly legs.


photo (32).jpg
A kookaburra was photographed eating a huntsman spider. Credit: Mark Seiffert/Facebook


The photograph received a particularly strong reaction from the online community, with many users acknowledging they could never stomach eating anything as terrifyingly close to a spider, let alone one like the huntsman.

'Ugh imagine eating a spider,' one person wrote, while another shared they ‘shuddered’ at the thought.


Others have praised the photographer’s amazing skills, with one asking, ‘However did you manage that? Wonderful.’

‘This is an incredible photo,’ another stated.

One man shared that he witnessed something similar, narrating that he had ‘popped him [a huntsman spider] outside and then watched a kookaburra swoop down and eat him’.

Don’t let their sweet chirps and thoughtful squawks fool you—these birds are tough! Aside from spiders, these predators also eat rats, mice, lizards and fish. And, as one expert revealed, they also eat some of the country’s most venomous snakes.

Professor of Wildlife Conservation from Charles Darwin University, Sarah Legge said, ‘Their beaks are really strong, and in this instance, the bird has got the prey in its beaks and it’s thrashing it around...they whack it from side to side. They kill their prey really quickly.’


But compared to the snake, huntsman spiders are relatively low-risk food for these birds.

‘Any spider bite would be ineffective on the kookaburra's beak, so snakes are more high-risk because if the birds don't swoop down from behind the head or don't immobilise it quickly enough, there's potential the bird could get bitten,’ Professor Legge explained.

You can watch this video to learn more about kookaburra:



Key Takeaways
  • A photograph of a kookaburra eating a huntsman spider in Brunswick Heads on the New South Wales coastline caused shock and amazement online.
  • While many people were surprised at the taking down of such intimidating prey, kookaburras have a 'brutal' reputation and are known to eat animals that many people avoid.
  • According to Professor Sarah Legge from Charles Darwin University, a kookaburra's beak is very strong, allowing it to kill prey quickly—even tackling venomous snakes.
  • Huntsman spiders pose a low-risk meal for a kookaburra as spider bites would be ineffective on a kookaburra's beak. However, snakes pose a higher risk to the bird if not immobilised rapidly.

Members, have you observed these amazing creatures out in nature? Share your stories and experiences in the comments below!
 
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Many long years ago I took my children into Yanchep National Park.
We were having a BBQ and my daughter was sitting in her pusher with a sausage in her hand when a kookaburras swooped down from a nearby tree, grabbed the sausage and went merrily on its way.
Caused great amusement to all, except my daughter who was most upset to see her "saudage" disappear.

I had quite a job trying to write that, the spell check kept changing it back to sausage.
 
When you think of Australia’s most iconic animals, there’s no doubt that kookaburras make that list. These large kingfisher birds aren’t just well-known for their loud, raucous cackles, they have a reputation as skilled predators, too.

That’s why when a photo of the birds snacking on their prey was posted to social media this week, it both shocked and amazed many Aussies.


The image, taken in Brunswick Heads along the picturesque New South Wales coastline, captured a kookaburra sitting atop a low-hanging branch, nonchalantly devouring a huntsman spider it had caught.

Crammed tightly within its sharp beak, you can see the spider's eight long, wriggly legs.


View attachment 32649
A kookaburra was photographed eating a huntsman spider. Credit: Mark Seiffert/Facebook


The photograph received a particularly strong reaction from the online community, with many users acknowledging they could never stomach eating anything as terrifyingly close to a spider, let alone one like the huntsman.

'Ugh imagine eating a spider,' one person wrote, while another shared they ‘shuddered’ at the thought.


Others have praised the photographer’s amazing skills, with one asking, ‘However did you manage that? Wonderful.’

‘This is an incredible photo,’ another stated.

One man shared that he witnessed something similar, narrating that he had ‘popped him [a huntsman spider] outside and then watched a kookaburra swoop down and eat him’.

Don’t let their sweet chirps and thoughtful squawks fool you—these birds are tough! Aside from spiders, these predators also eat rats, mice, lizards and fish. And, as one expert revealed, they also eat some of the country’s most venomous snakes.

Professor of Wildlife Conservation from Charles Darwin University, Sarah Legge said, ‘Their beaks are really strong, and in this instance, the bird has got the prey in its beaks and it’s thrashing it around...they whack it from side to side. They kill their prey really quickly.’


But compared to the snake, huntsman spiders are relatively low-risk food for these birds.

‘Any spider bite would be ineffective on the kookaburra's beak, so snakes are more high-risk because if the birds don't swoop down from behind the head or don't immobilise it quickly enough, there's potential the bird could get bitten,’ Professor Legge explained.

You can watch this video to learn more about kookaburra:



Key Takeaways

  • A photograph of a kookaburra eating a huntsman spider in Brunswick Heads on the New South Wales coastline caused shock and amazement online.
  • While many people were surprised at the taking down of such intimidating prey, kookaburras have a 'brutal' reputation and are known to eat animals that many people avoid.
  • According to Professor Sarah Legge from Charles Darwin University, a kookaburra's beak is very strong, allowing it to kill prey quickly—even tackling venomous snakes.
  • Huntsman spiders pose a low-risk meal for a kookaburra as spider bites would be ineffective on a kookaburra's beak. However, snakes pose a higher risk to the bird if not immobilised rapidly.
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Members, have you observed these amazing creatures out in nature? Share your stories and experiences in the comments below!

I fed Kookas, magpies and butcherbirds every day and night for years at Sth Kolan. They also love mince and would eat out of my hand. Now I live in town I miss them terribly. These birds would sit on my outside table and "sing for their supper" or breakfast. Maybe some don't know that the Chinese are well known for eating spiders, cockroaches , grasshoppers and anything else they can get into their mouth.
 
Many long years ago I took my children into Yanchep National Park.
We were having a BBQ and my daughter was sitting in her pusher with a sausage in her hand when a kookaburras swooped down from a nearby tree, grabbed the sausage and went merrily on its way.
Caused great amusement to all, except my daughter who was most upset to see her "saudage" disappear.

I had quite a job trying to write that, the spell check kept changing it back to sausage.
That made me laugh! We had a thing of feeding the kookas on our verandah and I don't know, one day my finger must have looked like a sausage, so the kooka grabbed it. My finger was halfway down his throat and I was swinging my hand to get him off :D
 
Many long years ago I took my children into Yanchep National Park.
We were having a BBQ and my daughter was sitting in her pusher with a sausage in her hand when a kookaburras swooped down from a nearby tree, grabbed the sausage and went merrily on its way.
Caused great amusement to all, except my daughter who was most upset to see her "saudage" disappear.

I had quite a job trying to write that, the spell check kept changing it back to sausage.
makes me so mad when words get changed to Yankee words or spelling.
That made me laugh! We had a thing of feeding the kookas on our verandah and I don't know, one day my finger must have looked like a sausage, so the kooka grabbed it. My finger was halfway down his throat and I was swinging my hand to get him off :D
GREAT BIG OUCH !!!!!
 
A kookaburra swooped down and took our kids yellow budgerigar that was hopping around the lawn near its cage. The kookaburra took it onto next doors roof and battered it to death. Feathers everywhere. I quickly took the children inside to shield them from the spectacle 🙁
 
When you think of Australia’s most iconic animals, there’s no doubt that kookaburras make that list. These large kingfisher birds aren’t just well-known for their loud, raucous cackles, they have a reputation as skilled predators, too.

That’s why when a photo of the birds snacking on their prey was posted to social media this week, it both shocked and amazed many Aussies.


The image, taken in Brunswick Heads along the picturesque New South Wales coastline, captured a kookaburra sitting atop a low-hanging branch, nonchalantly devouring a huntsman spider it had caught.

Crammed tightly within its sharp beak, you can see the spider's eight long, wriggly legs.


View attachment 32649
A kookaburra was photographed eating a huntsman spider. Credit: Mark Seiffert/Facebook


The photograph received a particularly strong reaction from the online community, with many users acknowledging they could never stomach eating anything as terrifyingly close to a spider, let alone one like the huntsman.

'Ugh imagine eating a spider,' one person wrote, while another shared they ‘shuddered’ at the thought.


Others have praised the photographer’s amazing skills, with one asking, ‘However did you manage that? Wonderful.’

‘This is an incredible photo,’ another stated.

One man shared that he witnessed something similar, narrating that he had ‘popped him [a huntsman spider] outside and then watched a kookaburra swoop down and eat him’.

Don’t let their sweet chirps and thoughtful squawks fool you—these birds are tough! Aside from spiders, these predators also eat rats, mice, lizards and fish. And, as one expert revealed, they also eat some of the country’s most venomous snakes.

Professor of Wildlife Conservation from Charles Darwin University, Sarah Legge said, ‘Their beaks are really strong, and in this instance, the bird has got the prey in its beaks and it’s thrashing it around...they whack it from side to side. They kill their prey really quickly.’


But compared to the snake, huntsman spiders are relatively low-risk food for these birds.

‘Any spider bite would be ineffective on the kookaburra's beak, so snakes are more high-risk because if the birds don't swoop down from behind the head or don't immobilise it quickly enough, there's potential the bird could get bitten,’ Professor Legge explained.

You can watch this video to learn more about kookaburra:



Key Takeaways

  • A photograph of a kookaburra eating a huntsman spider in Brunswick Heads on the New South Wales coastline caused shock and amazement online.
  • While many people were surprised at the taking down of such intimidating prey, kookaburras have a 'brutal' reputation and are known to eat animals that many people avoid.
  • According to Professor Sarah Legge from Charles Darwin University, a kookaburra's beak is very strong, allowing it to kill prey quickly—even tackling venomous snakes.
  • Huntsman spiders pose a low-risk meal for a kookaburra as spider bites would be ineffective on a kookaburra's beak. However, snakes pose a higher risk to the bird if not immobilised rapidly.

Members, have you observed these amazing creatures out in nature? Share your stories and experiences in the comments below!

Many birds eat bugs, why the surprise? What did people think they ate berries, unlike Owls etc they are daytime carnivorous predators.
 
When you think of Australia’s most iconic animals, there’s no doubt that kookaburras make that list. These large kingfisher birds aren’t just well-known for their loud, raucous cackles, they have a reputation as skilled predators, too.

That’s why when a photo of the birds snacking on their prey was posted to social media this week, it both shocked and amazed many Aussies.


The image, taken in Brunswick Heads along the picturesque New South Wales coastline, captured a kookaburra sitting atop a low-hanging branch, nonchalantly devouring a huntsman spider it had caught.

Crammed tightly within its sharp beak, you can see the spider's eight long, wriggly legs.


View attachment 32649
A kookaburra was photographed eating a huntsman spider. Credit: Mark Seiffert/Facebook


The photograph received a particularly strong reaction from the online community, with many users acknowledging they could never stomach eating anything as terrifyingly close to a spider, let alone one like the huntsman.

'Ugh imagine eating a spider,' one person wrote, while another shared they ‘shuddered’ at the thought.


Others have praised the photographer’s amazing skills, with one asking, ‘However did you manage that? Wonderful.’

‘This is an incredible photo,’ another stated.

One man shared that he witnessed something similar, narrating that he had ‘popped him [a huntsman spider] outside and then watched a kookaburra swoop down and eat him’.

Don’t let their sweet chirps and thoughtful squawks fool you—these birds are tough! Aside from spiders, these predators also eat rats, mice, lizards and fish. And, as one expert revealed, they also eat some of the country’s most venomous snakes.

Professor of Wildlife Conservation from Charles Darwin University, Sarah Legge said, ‘Their beaks are really strong, and in this instance, the bird has got the prey in its beaks and it’s thrashing it around...they whack it from side to side. They kill their prey really quickly.’


But compared to the snake, huntsman spiders are relatively low-risk food for these birds.

‘Any spider bite would be ineffective on the kookaburra's beak, so snakes are more high-risk because if the birds don't swoop down from behind the head or don't immobilise it quickly enough, there's potential the bird could get bitten,’ Professor Legge explained.

You can watch this video to learn more about kookaburra:



Key Takeaways

  • A photograph of a kookaburra eating a huntsman spider in Brunswick Heads on the New South Wales coastline caused shock and amazement online.
  • While many people were surprised at the taking down of such intimidating prey, kookaburras have a 'brutal' reputation and are known to eat animals that many people avoid.
  • According to Professor Sarah Legge from Charles Darwin University, a kookaburra's beak is very strong, allowing it to kill prey quickly—even tackling venomous snakes.
  • Huntsman spiders pose a low-risk meal for a kookaburra as spider bites would be ineffective on a kookaburra's beak. However, snakes pose a higher risk to the bird if not immobilised rapidly.

Members, have you observed these amazing creatures out in nature? Share your stories and experiences in the comments below!

Never heard of a Kookaburra being bitten by a snake, as was shared in article they are very quick to kill the snakes bashing the head on branch and do the same against rocks when they catch on the ground which is very often.I take my hat of to these wonderful creatures 😀 😉.
 
I know they love chicken. As an immigrant, 26 years ago, my very first sighting of a Kookaburra, was on a picnic at the Hinze Dam, QLD. During our lunch, a huge crow stole a piece of chicken off the table. Seconds later an ever larger Kookaburra stole it from the crow. I was absolutely shocked at the size of the Kookaburra.
They have now become one of my favourite birds. I couldn't resist taking a photo of this baby on our fencekookaburra on fence.jpg.
 
I know they love chicken. As an immigrant, 26 years ago, my very first sighting of a Kookaburra, was on a picnic at the Hinze Dam, QLD. During our lunch, a huge crow stole a piece of chicken off the table. Seconds later an ever larger Kookaburra stole it from the crow. I was absolutely shocked at the size of the Kookaburra.
They have now become one of my favourite birds. I couldn't resist taking a photo of this baby on our fenceView attachment 38414.
Aren’t they adorable one of my fav birds.😍
 
I know they love chicken. As an immigrant, 26 years ago, my very first sighting of a Kookaburra, was on a picnic at the Hinze Dam, QLD. During our lunch, a huge crow stole a piece of chicken off the table. Seconds later an ever larger Kookaburra stole it from the crow. I was absolutely shocked at the size of the Kookaburra.
They have now become one of my favourite birds. I couldn't resist taking a photo of this baby on our fenceView attachment 38414.
 
Many long years ago I took my children into Yanchep National Park.
We were having a BBQ and my daughter was sitting in her pusher with a sausage in her hand when a kookaburras swooped down from a nearby tree, grabbed the sausage and went merrily on its way.
Caused great amusement to all, except my daughter who was most upset to see her "saudage" disappear.

I had quite a job trying to write that, the spell check kept changing it back to sausage.
I just love Yanchep National Park. Your poor daughter, I can imagine her utter distress! I love kookaburras, & when I was a child, saw them attack & devour all sorts of things, including snakes. My neighbour loathes them due to his goldfish disappearing. We told him outdoor ponds need protecting. The more huntsmans that are eaten the better!
 
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I just love Yanchep National Park. Your poor daughter, I can imagine her utter distress! I love kookaburras, & when I was a child, saw them attack & devour all sorts of things, including snakes. My neighbour loathes them due to his goldfish disappearing. We told him outdoor ponds need protecting. The more huntsmans that are eaten the better!
That’s mean huntsmen are part of the ecosystem I love them.😍
 
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