Kookaburras:- Dacelo spp.

Kookaburras live in New Guinea and Australia. They are essentially giant kingfishers with big heads and strong, thick bills that have evolved to catch large ground dwelling prey. They usually sit in a high position, quite still, waiting and watching for their prey, which include snakes, lizards and large insects. They then proceed to whack the prey, to subdue it and to break the bones within to make an easier meal. The strong heads and beaks are also useful for when they may build their nests, for they are often excavated out of arboreal termite nests. The breeding pairs will often take turns flying hard at the nest, cracking another dent in the hard exterior. They continue until they have dug a hole for the female to lay eggs and raise the chicks within.
Script: Courtesy of  Damon Ramsey BSc.(Zool) Biologist Guide

The largest of the kingfishers in Australia are of course the Kookaburras. They have big heads and strong, thick bills that have evolved to catch larger, ground dwelling prey. The ‘Laughing Kookaburra’, Dacelo novaeguineae is the species found in the Daintree region and it can often be seen sitting in a perch in or on the edge of the forest, and sometimes seen on the Bloomfield track or around Daintree village (right).
Script: Courtesy of  Damon Ramsey BSc.(Zool) Biologist Guide