Blue-winged kookaburra highly aggressive in the first week of life, and the youngest chick is often killed by the older chicks during this period. Once fledged, juvenile birds need to be taught how to hunt by their parents for a further 6–10 weeks before they can properly fend for themselves. The red goshawk and rufous owl prey upon the blue-winged kookaburra. Adult birds are also slow flyers and vulnerable to being hit by cars on country roads. Nests are susceptible to raids by Olive Pythons, quolls and goannas. Blue-winged kookaburra The blue-winged kookaburra ("Dacelo leachii") is a large species of kingfisher native
Red wattlebird a horizontal "appeasement posture" side-on to the aggressor in which it lowers its head, flutters its wings and edges closer to the other bird. As well as smaller bird species, red wattlebirds can mob and chase larger species such as the Australian magpie ("Gymnorhina tibicen"), butcherbirds and currawongs, the black-faced cuckooshrike ("Coracina novaehollandiae"), the olive-backed oriole ("Oriolus sagittatus"), crows and ravens, the laughing kookaburra ("Dacelo novaeguineae") and even small raptors like the collared sparrowhawk ("Accipiter cirrocephalus"). The red wattlebird breeds throughout its range, with nesting taking place between July and December, though occasionally outside these months if conditions are favourable.