Kookaburras, Snakes and the Balance of Nature in Sydney

The sound of a Laughing Kookaburra is such a familiar part of life along Australia’s east coast that it is easy to take these remarkable birds for granted. From suburban backyards to national parks, kookaburras have lived alongside snakes, lizards, frogs, insects and small mammals for thousands of years.

They are all part of the same ecological fabric.

Kookaburras are well known for catching snakes. It is an impressive sight, but snakes make up only a small part of their varied diet. Kookaburras also eat insects, worms, rodents, frogs, lizards, crustaceans and occasionally small birds.

Nevertheless, by taking small snakes and juveniles when the opportunity arises, kookaburras contribute to the network of natural predators that helps keep wildlife populations in balance.

Kookaburras are native snake predators

Laughing Kookaburras are powerful, patient hunters. They often sit quietly on a branch, fence or powerline, watching the ground before dropping suddenly onto their prey.

When a kookaburra catches a snake, it generally grips it in its strong bill and repeatedly strikes it against a branch or the ground. This helps subdue the snake before it is swallowed.

Kookaburras are capable of killing venomous snakes, but they are not immune to snake venom. They rely on speed, precision and the strength of their bill while attempting to keep the snake away from their body.

Small snakes are most vulnerable. A large adult Eastern Brown Snake or Red-bellied Black Snake would present a very different challenge and would rarely be suitable prey for a kookaburra.

It is about balance, not eliminating snakes

People sometimes describe kookaburras as a natural form of snake control. There is some truth in this, but it is important not to exaggerate their influence.

Kookaburras do not prevent snakes from living in an area, and snakes are not dependent upon kookaburras. Both have broad diets and interact with many other animals.

The real story is the balance created by all these relationships.

Kookaburras prey on insects, rodents, lizards, frogs and some snakes. Snakes prey on rodents, frogs, lizards, birds and other snakes. Birds of prey, monitors and other animals also prey upon snakes. At the same time, snakes themselves help control animals that might otherwise become overly abundant.

Remove one species and the effects can spread through the ecosystem in ways that are difficult to predict.

Without kookaburras, one important native predator would be missing. Without snakes, rodents and other prey animals could increase, while animals that naturally prey upon snakes would lose part of their food supply.

Neither kookaburras nor snakes are unnecessary. Both belong here.

What happened when kookaburras were moved west?

The relationship is very different in south-western Western Australia, where Laughing Kookaburras did not naturally occur.

Beginning in 1897, hundreds of kookaburras from eastern Australia were released in Western Australia, partly because people believed they would control snakes. The birds established themselves and spread across much of the south-west.

However, kookaburras are generalist predators. They did not restrict themselves to eating snakes. They also preyed on native frogs, lizards, insects, nestlings and small birds that had evolved without Laughing Kookaburras.

The same bird that forms a natural part of eastern Australia’s ecosystems became an introduced predator in another part of the country.

It is a valuable reminder that the labels “native” and “introduced” depend on location. An animal may belong naturally in one part of Australia while causing ecological problems somewhere else.

Sydney’s wildlife has evolved together

Here in Sydney and along the east coast, kookaburras and snakes have shared the landscape for an extraordinarily long time.

They are not enemies locked in a simple battle. They are participants in a complex ecological system involving predators, prey, competition, habitat, weather and seasonal food availability.

Even within suburban Sydney, these relationships continue. Kookaburras hunt from fences and clotheslines. Snakes follow the cover provided by gardens, waterways and bushland corridors. Rodents are drawn to food, rubbish and shelter around buildings. Frogs gather around ponds and drainage areas.

Each animal influences the others.

This is the fabric of life: thousands of relationships operating at the same time, often unnoticed, but collectively keeping the natural world functioning.

Snakes still belong in the Sydney environment

Finding a snake around your home can be confronting, but its presence does not mean the local ecosystem has failed. In many cases, it means suitable habitat and prey are nearby.

Snakes play an important role by consuming rodents, frogs and other animals. They also provide food for kookaburras, birds of prey, monitors and other predators.

The aim should not be to eliminate snakes from the environment. It should be to manage encounters safely while allowing native wildlife to continue performing its ecological role.

If you see a snake around your home, keep a safe distance and watch where it goes. Do not attempt to catch or kill it. Contact Urban Reptile Removal and arrange for a licensed Sydney snake catcher to safely remove and relocate it.

Kookaburras and snakes have shared the east coast for thousands of years. With sensible management and respect for both species, there is no reason they cannot continue sharing it with us.