'Incredible' photo reveals what kookaburra eats for a snack—can you guess what it is?
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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.
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:
Members, have you observed these amazing creatures out in nature? Share your stories and experiences in the comments below!
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.
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:
Members, have you observed these amazing creatures out in nature? Share your stories and experiences in the comments below!
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