By special request for JohnC in Glouster, U.K.

[ucci]

Hi John, Thank you for your comment and interest. These are some pics I took around home a while ago and dug out for you in answer to your request. The Kookaburra has a lengthy call which sounds very much like some one laughing loudly. This is why it is also known as the laughing jackass. The red bird is a crimson rosella. The grey and pink bird sitting on our gate post is a Galah, a type of parrot which has a horrid cockatoo screech. They are reknowned for being rather stupid birds. They are thought of as the clowns of our bird life. To call some one a 'galah" here is to infer that they are fairly stupid.
In answer to your other question. Rain birds have a wide variety of calls with which they communicate to with each other in their group. Their songs are very melodious and quite pleasant to the ear.
Cheers
Ken

[JohnC]

Many thanks,Ken..I just think it must be wonderful to have such a variety of such attractive birds-many photogenic too,the crimson rosella is stunning. The galah is very attractive too. I've now found a site listing most of your birds and their calls so I've just listened to the Kookaburra laughing lol.

http://birdsinbackyards.net/feature/...bird-songs.cfm

One of Australia's birds in our garden...the zebra finch.

In September 2009 some yobs let a load of exotic birds out of an aviary here in the city and one turned up in our garden. We have bird feeders and about 30 hedge sparrows live next to the feeders in a pyracantha/cum some other type of hedge - I was pleased to get a shot of the zebra finch next to one of these sparrows to give perspective re. size and the sparrow doesn't seemed bothered by it. It was there for that one day only and I suspect it wouldn't survive long.I sent the photos to the local paper and they made a feature out of it digging out the original report of the incident ,which was in the April so it had survived 5 months which surprised local ornithologists.