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| Eastern (Common) Brown Snake v Laughing Kookaburra | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Mar 22 2016, 12:24 AM (2,491 Views) | |
| Ceph | Mar 22 2016, 12:24 AM Post #1 |
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Piscivore
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Eastern (Common) Brown Snake - Pseudonaja textilis The eastern brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis), often referred to as the common brown snake, is a species of genus Pseudonaja. This snake is considered the second most venomous land snake based on its LD50 value (SC) in mice. It is native to Australia, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. Adult eastern brown snakes are highly variable in colour. Whilst usually a uniform shade of brown, they can have various patterns including speckles and bands, and range from a very pale fawn colour through to black, including orange, silver, yellow and grey. Juveniles can be banded and have a black head, with a lighter band behind, a black nape, and numerous red-brown spots on the belly. This species has an average length of 1.5–1.8 m and it is rarely larger than 2 m. Large eastern brown snakes are often confused with "king brown" snakes (Pseudechis australis), whose habitat they share in many areas. ![]() Laughing Kookaburra - Dacelo novaeguineae The laughing kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) is a carnivorous bird in the kingfisher family Halcyonidae. Native to eastern Australia, it has also been introduced to parts of New Zealand, Tasmania and Western Australia. Male and female adults are similar in plumage, which is predominantly brown and white. A common and familiar bird, this species of kookaburra is well known for its laughing call. The laughing kookaburra is a stocky bird of about 45 cm (18 in) in length, with a large head, prominent brown eyes, and a very large bill. Kookaburras occupy woodland territories (including forests) in loose family groups, and their laughter serves the same purpose as a great many other bird calls—to demarcate territorial borders. Most species of kookaburra tend to live in family units, with offspring helping the parents hunt and care for the next generation of offspring. Kookaburras hunt much as other kingfishers (or indeed Australasian robins) do: by perching on a convenient branch or wire and waiting patiently for prey to pass by. Common prey include mice and similar-sized small mammals, large insects, lizards, small birds and nestlings, and most famously, snakes. Small prey are preferred, but kookaburras sometimes take large creatures, including venomous snakes much longer than their bodies. Dacelo novaeguineae. Length: 47 cm (18 inches). Weight: 500 grams (17.6 oz.). ![]()
Edited by Ceratodromeus, Mar 23 2016, 08:11 AM.
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| Vivyx | Mar 22 2016, 12:35 AM Post #2 |
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Felines, sharks, birds, arthropods
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I think that the kookaburra can definitely damage the rather thin snake physically with that beak, but the venom and possible reach advantage of the snake could prove troublesome and would mean that the kookaburra would have to perform some different strategy to kill the snake... not really sure for now but I'm leaning towards the kook. Does anybody have any interactions? Edited by Vivyx, May 22 2016, 06:49 AM.
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| Ceratodromeus | Mar 22 2016, 02:11 AM Post #3 |
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Aspiring herpetologist
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i know of this, but this is just about it |
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| Grimace | Mar 22 2016, 08:11 PM Post #4 |
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Kleptoparasite
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I'd bet on the kook. They can be surprisingly vicious divebombers, and on top of that have very strong beaks and love to slam snakes against stuff. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fM5r_dfmz1g Not a snake, but look how HARD that second to last kookaburra slams down. I don't think even raptors smash into stuff with that much sheer force. |
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| Taipan | Mar 22 2016, 08:29 PM Post #5 |
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Administrator
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They kill a variety of species of snakes but they tend to be small. Maybe Kookaburra against a Constrictor next! Edited by Taipan, Mar 22 2016, 08:30 PM.
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| Galiteuthis | Mar 23 2016, 02:27 AM Post #6 |
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Autotrophic Organism
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In the first video posted by Ceratodromeus, a Laughing Kookaburra attacked an Eastern Brown Snake, but it simply kept swimming. There is actually a third video continuing the series of videos posted by Ceratodromeus, and the Eastern Brown Snake is once again attacked by the avian in this video segment, again appearing rather unfazed. This gives me the impression that the Laughing Kookaburra would have a hard time actually killing the Eastern Brown Snake. However, with it's powerful venom, the Eastern Brown Snake would only need a single bite to kill it's adversary. It should be worth noting that the Eastern Brown Snake's striking distance would likely be around 1.60 feet. Therefore, landing a bite on the Laughing Kookaburra would be difficult, but achievable nonetheless, and only one bite would be needed to kill the bird. |
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| Ceratodromeus | Mar 23 2016, 06:40 AM Post #7 |
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Aspiring herpetologist
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eh, to me it looked like they were uploaded in the wrong order and since the original uploader didn't elaborate on the videos really, i decided to not post that one as it really doesn't show anything the other two clips showed |
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| Grimace | Mar 23 2016, 07:46 AM Post #8 |
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Kleptoparasite
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It was an extremely awkward scenario for both of them. A kookaburra can't efficiently attack a large swimming snake, seeing as it is too big to grab and fly off with, but is still in the water and can't be slammed or etc especially since the kook wouldn't want to end up falling into the water. And a swimming snake can't really strike efficiently either so |
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| Taipan | Mar 24 2016, 07:48 PM Post #9 |
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Dont know the species of snake, or whether the photo is staged:
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| Taipan | Apr 7 2018, 11:17 PM Post #10 |
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Another video showing the way Kookaburra's kill and eat snakes: |
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9:54 AM Jul 11