Kookaburra found caged in US pet shop

An Australian woman living in the US was heartbroken to discover a kookaburra for sale in her local pet store in Virginia.

Wendy Davidson was shocked when she saw the four-year-old bird called Thunder inside a small cage, advertised for $US1199.99 ($AUD1700) earlier this month.

“It breaks my heart to see him caged,” she posted on Facebook.

“Kookaburras mate for life and live in family groups. I couldn’t stop thinking about him being a prisoner in solitary confinement.”

Despite contacting authorities in the US and Australia, she was told there was nothing that could be done to free the iconic Aussie bird.

Australian laws prohibit the export of live native birds for commercial purposes. It is also illegal to keep a kookaburra as a pet.

But in Virginia people can own exotic birds such as kookaburras.

Following Ms Davidson’s protest, the Australian Consulate General lodged a report with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals earlier this week.