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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
National
Patrick Glover

'How cool is that?': Rare bird that 'shouldn't be here' spotted in Scottish town

A WILDLIFE enthusiast on TikTok has discovered a "super rare" animal "that shouldn't be in the UK" hiding in Scotland.

The Kookaburra is a type of bird native to Australia. It is part of the kingfisher family and is well-known for its distinctive call.

While usually found in Australia there are also a handful located right here in the UK.

TikTok wildlife enthusiast discovers "super rare" Kookaburras in the UK

There is thought to be less than 10 Kookaburras in the UK, maybe even less than five, according to Wildlife with Cookie, making them "super rare".


Native wild animals in the UK


Earlier this year, a single Kookaburra was spotted by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust living near Sudbury in the Suffolk countryside, the BBC reported.

Now Wildlife with Cookie, after a three-day search, has found two more in Kirkcudbright, Scotland.

In a video documenting his discovery on TikTok, he said: "I have got something so good, there are probably less than five of these in the UK.

"I've got my eyes on it, look in that tree. Oh my word, look at that...it's a Kookaburra."

@wildlifewithcookie Finding animals that should not be in the UK #uk #ukwildlife #wildlife #animalanomalies ♬ Solas x Interstellar - Gabriel Albuquerqüe

He continued: "So here it is, a little bit closer up, this is the laughing Kookaburra of Australia, but you can find them here in the UK.

"There are probably less than five, maybe less than 10 of them in the country.

"They shouldn't be here but they are right here in Scotland, in Kirkcudbright, and there's two of them. How cool is that?"



Other TikTok users have taken to the comments section of the video, sharing just how shocked they are to see the native Aussie bird in the UK.

One person said: "Never have I ever thought Kookaburras would be anywhere else in the world but Australia. I'm actually shocked as an Aussie."

Another person added: "Wow. I'm English. Moved to Oz 2001. Never in my wildest dreams would I think a Kookaburra would survive in cold conditions ... beautiful birds. !!"

While an official Sydney TikTok account commented: "We were not expecting to see our laughing buddies in Scotland!"

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