Kookaburra by ABC radio stations, and for Radio Australia's overseas broadcasts. This was the basis for a book for children: An Australian coin known as the Silver Kookaburra minted annually since 1990. The Australian 12-metre yacht "Kookaburra III" lost the America's Cup in 1987. The Australian Men's Hockey team is named after the kookaburra. , they are world champions in field hockey. Australian sports equipment company Kookaburra Sport is named after the bird. Kookaburra 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
Kookaburra of the three mascots chosen for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. The other mascots were Millie the Echidna and Syd the Platypus. In William Arden's 1969 book, "The Mystery of the Laughing Shadow", (one of 'The Three Investigators' series for young readers), the laughing kookaburra is integral to the plot. The children's television series "Splatalot!" includes an Australian character called "Kookaburra" (or "Kook"), whose costume includes decorative wings that recall the bird's plumage, and who is noted for his distinctive high-pitched laugh. The call of a kookaburra nicknamed "Jacko" was for many years used as the morning opening theme