Hearing is believing in the power of the kookaburras' raucous chorus

In the mythology of birds, some can bring luck, others rain. But when that famous laugh portends a snake in the grass, it's hard to denyKookaburras don't usually laugh in the daytime. Their calls ring out at dawn and dusk, a raucous chorus that can provoke homesickness in any Australian unfortunate enough to be stuck in country with less interesting birds.But at midday on a clear day in January, a kookaburra's laugh gives you pause. Enough to notice the brown snake moving quietly through the grass a few feet away, intent on business that does not concern you but might if you carried on unawares and accidentally trod on it. Continue reading...