Laughing Kookaburra Painting

For this wildlife portrait, I wanted to portray the kookaburras in the rainforest, their natural habitat. They are shown in a typical family unit. The bird on the right is shown in the darker juvenile plumage, and another is giving the kookaburra’s characteristic call.

Over the course of several weeks, I became quite familiar with the two charismatic kookaburras at the Woodland Park Zoo. They were excellent models and posed for extended periods of time up close to the glass, seeming to enjoy all the attention.

Acrylic on board, 12×16″.