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
The Australian Bird Guide Scientific Industrial Research Organisation). The Guide provides detailed maps indicating where a species or sub-species are likely to occur and shading to help identify where the birds are most likely to occur. Several of the reviewers highlighted this feature as a major positive of the guide and the "10,000 Bird" review considered the 2 field guides with this feature the best available. The Foreword to "The Australian Bird Guide" was written by Paul Sullivan, Chief Executive of Birdlife Australia, Australia’s peak ornithological body. This foreword states that the authors and artists of this book are considered leaders in their field