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Feathers, Fur and Fins: A song about the Kookaburra's call

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A kookaburra
Feathers, Fur and Fins: A song about the Kookaburra's call

SUBJECTS:  English

YEARS:  F–2


Have you heard a Kookaburra laugh?

Watch this clip and listen to the lyrics of the song performed by Don Spencer that captures in sounds and words the magical call of the kookaburra.


Things to think about

  1. 1.A kookaburra has a very noticeable call. How would you describe it to someone who has never heard it before? What sounds does it make?
  2. 2.Listen for groups of words in the song that end with the same sound like 'folk, bloke' and 'joke'. These words rhyme. Listen to the words of the song. What does the songwriter think the call of the kookaburra sounds like?
  3. 3.What sounds and words did the songwriter use to make the call of the kookaburra? What letters would be used to make these sounds? The first verse is made up of three lines. The first ended with folk, the next with bloke and the third with joke. What does this verse tell us about kookaburras?
  4. 4.Listen to the song again. What words do you hear that describe the Kookaburra's call. You might share your ideas with someone else. One phrase used is 'happy, laughing sound'. Draw a picture of a kookaburra and write some of the words and phrases to describe its call.



Date of broadcast: 19 Aug 1986


Copyright

Metadata © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia Ltd 2012 (except where otherwise indicated). Digital content © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). Video © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). All images copyright their respective owners. Text © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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