Animals

They feed by perching on a tree branch and pouncing on terrestrial invertebrates, reptiles, small mammals, birds and nestlings. Can devour snakes up to 3 ft in length. Not closely associated with water, but will sometimes catch fish with plunging dives and, on occasion, raid suburban goldfish ponds. Prey is stunned by dropping from a height or whacking it against a branch before swallowing. They will even kill poisonous snakes by grabbing them behind the head and smashing them against a rock until they are dead.

Diurnal. These birds live in family groups that defend the same territories year round. They nest in hollow trees, holes in the walls of buildings, or the nests of termites. Sexual maturity is at 1 year. The female lays two or three white eggs; incubation is 18-22 days and the nestling period is 20-30 days. Both parents generally play equal parts in incubation, brooding and rearing of the young. The young depend on their parents for several months. Often the offspring will stay with their parents to help gather food for the following broods of chicks and to help guard the territory. Eventually, they will find a mate of their own and establish their own territory.