Silver 1 oz Australia Perth Kookaburra *Random Date*

A laughing kookaburra, the largest member of the kingfisher species, is synonymous with the Australian bush. These coins are minted in .999 fine Silver. This item will be pulled from random dates of the series release.

Highlights

• *Random Dates*
• Contains 1 Troy oz of .9999 pure silver
• Part of Perth Mint’s Wildlife series.
• Obverse: Bears the Ian Rank-Broadley likeness of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the 1 Dollar (AU) face value.
• Reverse: Each year features a new design, adding collectability to the 1 oz. .999 fine Silver series. Also included are the inscriptions “Australian Kookaburra,” the date, the coin's weight and purity, and the Perth Mint’s “P” mintmark.
• Sovereign coin backed by the Australian government
• Packaged individually in a protective plastic capsule. Multiples of 20 come in a sealed roll and multiples of 100 are packaged in a sealed box.

History

Kookaburras are terrestrial tree kingfishers of the genus Dacelo native to Australia and New Guinea, which grow to between 28–42 cm (11–17 in) in length. The name is a loanword from Wiradjuri guuguubarra, onomatopoeic of its call. The single member of the genus Clytoceyx is commonly referred to as the shovel-billed kookaburra.

The kookaburra's loud call sounds like echoing human laughter. They are found in habitats ranging from humid forest to arid savanna, as well as in suburban areas with tall trees or near running water. Even though they belong to the larger group known as 'kingfishers', kookaburras are not closely associated with water.

Kookaburras are almost exclusively carnivorous, eating mice, snakes, insects, small reptiles, and the young of other birds; they have also been known to take goldfish from garden ponds. In zoos they are usually fed food for birds of prey. The most social birds will accept handouts and will take meat from barbecues. It is generally not advised to feed kookaburras ground beef or pet food as these do not include enough calcium and roughage.

They are territorial, except for the rufous-bellied, which often live with their young from the previous season. They often sing as a chorus to mark their territory.