Acrylic on canvas

Signed certificate of authenticity.

The seventh of a series of seven Australian birds. This piece was drawn from a reference photo supplied by Roger MacKertich (www.instagram.com/rogermacks.bird.photos)

Though the Blue-winged Kookaburra is only slightly smaller than its more famous relative, the Laughing Kookaburra, it is, nevertheless, one of the world’s largest kingfishers. Blue-winged Kookaburras inhabit northern and north-eastern Australia, and this range overlaps with that of the Laughing Kookaburra in northern and eastern Queensland, where both species may inhabit the same forests or woodlands. Both emit a loud, raucous cackling call that has been described as ‘extended maniacal laughter’, but, alas, the Blue-winged Kookaburra’s laugh is said to ‘lack the same sense of humour’.

The Blue-winged Kookaburra is found in coastal and subcoastal areas in northwest and northeast Australia,Torres Strait and Southern New Guinea. It is widespread in the Gulf Country of Queensland extending South to about Toowoomba. It is also widespread in the top end of NorthernTerritory. It is absent from the Eighty Mile beach area in Western Australia separating the Pilbara population.

Blue-winged Kookaburras are found in tropical and subtropical open woodlands, paperbark swamps, timber on watercourses, clearings, canefields and farmlands.

This particular specimen was captured in quite the quirky pose. He looks with curiosity at the viewer. Actually, maybe a little aggressively... but this is contrasted with the coolish pallet and splatters which gives this whole composition a quirky feel.

The original piece has more contrast and it was photographed without varnish and in not ideal lighting situations. Please be advised colours may also differ depending on the device you are viewing this from.

Currently this piece is unframed and unstretched but it would look amazing in a Tasmanian oak timber floating frame. Consider the Bluethumb framing option.

I have prints available of this piece, do get in touch if you are interested in a reproduction (at a smaller scale!). Or conversely, happy to produce something similar at a smaller scale, get in touch!