‘KOOKIE’ & THE DUCKLINGS – PROGRESS REPORT!

 

Regular followers of our Blog will remember the amazing story we released a few weeks ago about a young Kookaburra and a rare Madagascar Teal duckling becoming friends here at the Park.   We released images to the media and subsequently received calls and emails from various publications and wildlife enthusiasts across both the UK and the US. 

 

 

The image (left) is a reminder of what our ‘odd couple’ looked like 3 weeks ago!  This close bonding took place initially between one duckling and an abandoned Kookaburra chick – however soon after this photo was taken all 3 ducklings from the batch were given the opportunity to cuddle up to ‘Kookie’.  The relationship between these two species is particularly unusual because normally they would be prey and predator (Kookaburras are known to eat the young of other bird species as a normal part of their diet).

 

 

 

 

 

The image on the right shows Kookie as of this morning – considerably more glamorous than the half-bald, prehistoric-looking small bird in the initial photo shoot of a few week’s ago!  We’ve sent in a sample of Kookie’s feather’s to be DNA tested – in order to determine the sex of the bird (I have a sneaking suspicion Kookie’s a ‘she’!)

 

 

 

 

 

Just look at how they’ve all grown …..!

The image on the left shows Kookie and the three rare Madagascar Teal ducklings photographed in an outdoor aviary this morning.  The foursome are now spending their days enjoying the late summer sunshine outside and are brought indoors to a warm enclosure at night. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kookie and the ducklings were pictured hiding in the grass on the floor of their aviary earlier this morning.  Kookie is now spending more time perching on branches and the ducks are starting to venture more adventurously away from her ….. so it’ll be interesting to see how long their relationship continues and whether a separation of the species will occur instinctively as they mature.