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15

Hoopoe (Upupa epops) Alternate name(s): "Eurasian Hoopoe" German name(s): "Wiedehopf" Size: 25-32 cm; wing span: 44-48 cm Weight: 46-89 g

Europe: Family Group 15 Family Group 15 Table Hoopoe Eurasian Wryneck Eurasian Treecreeper Short-toed Treecreeper Wallcreeper Black Woodpecker European Green Woodpecker Great Spotted Woodpecker Middle Spotted Woodpecker Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Hoopoes have a buff and buff-grey head with a prominent, usually backwards-swept erectile crest of black-tipped buff feathers. Apart from the crest, their most prominent feature is a bold black and white bar pattern on the wings, which is in sharp contrast with the rest of the buffy-pink plumage of the head, neck and chest. The belly, vent and undertail coverts are light-grey, while the uppertail is black. The irises are dark. The long, narrow, slightly down-curved bill is dark-grey. The short legs and feet are also grey.

Taxonomy, classification See Hoopoe at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Hoopoe is available HERE . Hoopoes are a global species, of which there are in total 9 races. Their distribution ranges from parts of Africa (except the Sahara desert and some parts of sub-Saharan West Africa) and Madagascar to parts of Europe (not the British Isles, Scandinavia, the Benelux countries and most of Germany), Asia Minor, parts of the Middle East, mostly coastal parts of Arabia and all across the southern parts of Asia (except only parts of western China and central Pakistan), as far as eastern China and Russia. Towards the South, they are found all across India and Sri Lanka, as well as south-eastern Asia, down to southern Thailand (but normally not Malaysia). There are only rare reports of vagrants going as far as northern tropical Australia. The South African race is resident, while the others are migratory. Northern mid-latitude regions are their breeding grounds, while in subtropical areas they are permanent residents. In some areas (e.g. western India, near-coastal eastern Africa) they are found only during the northern winter. In Europe Hoopoes, race "epops", are found permanently only in southern Spain. In the rest of southern, western and central Europe (excluding the British Isles, parts of northern France, the Benelux countries, northern Germany, Denmark and all of Scandinavia) they are breeding migrants. In some areas, mostly in Germany, they are only found during their migration. Hoopoes can live in a variety of habitats, which must include two features: bare soil for foraging and, in their breeding grounds, vertical surfaces (trees or cliffs) for nesting.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "epops" J. Pires and G. Pinelas report finding Hoopoes, race "epops", semi-regularly, throughout the year, in various locations in southern/central Portugal. Several Hoopoes, race "epops", were spotted by D. Wilczynska and others in Biebrza National Park, Poland, in June 2016. D. Wilczynska also reports finding a Hoopoe, race "epops", near Brok and near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, in August 2018. M. Eaton reports finding a Hoopoe, race "epops", in Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, in September 2019. H. Dahlem-Senger found Hoopoes, race "epops", at Cala Bona, Mallorca, Spain, in May 2023. Hoopoes, race "epops", were previously also observed by us in Oman. Race "longirostris" A Hoopoe, race "longirostris", was spotted in Australia in February 2014.

Photos

Race "epops"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Hoopoe (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, September 2019]

Frontal view of a preening Hoopoe (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2023]

Near-lateral view of a Hoopoe (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, August 2015]

Lateral view of a Hoopoe (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2018]

Lateral view of a Hoopoe (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Arrozais de Aguas de Moura, Palmela, Setubal, Portugal, January 2021]

Lateral view of a Hoopoe (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Brok, Masovia, Poland, August 2018]

Lateral view of a Hoopoe (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Reboleira, Lisbon, Portugal, August 2016]

Lateral view of a Hoopoe (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Hoopoe (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]

Close-up near-dorsal view of a Hoopoe (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Palhais, Barreiro, Setubal, Portugal, January 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a Hoopoe (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2014]

Near-dorsal view of a Hoopoe (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Reboleira, Lisbon, Portugal, August 2016]

Dorsal view of a Hoopoe (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Reboleira, Lisbon, Portugal, August 2016]

Dorsal view of a Hoopoe stretching a wing (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Reboleira, Lisbon, Portugal, August 2016]

Lateral view of a Hoopoe in flight, wings up (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2016]

Lateral view of a Hoopoe in flight, wings down (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2014]

Near-dorsal view of a Hoopoe banking to land (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2014]

Dorsal view of a Hoopoe landing to join its mates in foraging on pasture (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2020]

More photos of Hoopoes, race "epops", were taken by us in Oman.

Breeding information

Breeding season: Jun - Jan

Eggs: ca. 12

Incubation period: 15 - 18 days

Fledging age: 26 - 29 days

The breeding season depends a lot on geographic latitude and other climatic factors. The period listed above applies to eastern/central Europe.

The clutch size also depends strongly on geographic latitude. It varies from ca. 4 eggs in the tropics, via on average 7 in subtropical regions, to around 12 at higher latitudes.

Nest building: ?

Incubation: Female

Dependent care: Female & male

Nest

Type: Hollow

Material: Tree, rock

Height above ground: 3 - 10? m

Hoopoe feeding one of its chicks through the opening of its hollow in a tree trunk (photo courtesy of Beata from Warsaw)
[Biebrza National Park, Poland, June 2016]

Near-fledging age Hoopoe chick at the entrance of its nest hollow; note the white gape (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Biebrza National Park, Poland, June 2016]

Hoopoe approaching its nest; the full-size image gives an overview of where the nest is located
(photo courtesy of Agnieszka from Lodz)
[Biebrza National Park, Poland, June 2016]

Eggs

Size: 26 x 17 mm

Colour: White

Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

While foraging, Hoopoes prefer to run from place to place, rather than fly short distances, especially while foraging on the ground.

Near-frontal view of a Hoopoe foraging on the ground (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vilarelhos, Alfandega da Fe, Tras-os-Montes, Norte, Portugal, January 2023]

Near-dorsal view of a Hoopoe foraging on the ground (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vilarelhos, Alfandega da Fe, Tras-os-Montes, Norte, Portugal, January 2023]

Food, Diet

Lateral view of a Hoopoe with its prey, possibly a wood-boring insect (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2014]

Lateral view of a Hoopoe carrying away its prey (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Lagoa dos Patos, Beringel, Portugal, October 2019]

Lateral view of a Hoopoe foraging on the ground (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, October 2013]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

hoopoe_dw_20180525_2.m4a	epops (Poland)	Territorial call (male)	© DW
hoopoe_jp_20190606.m4a	epops (Portugal)	Territorial calls (male)	© JP
hoopoe_jp_20230203.mp3	epops (Portugal)	Territorial calls (male)	© JP
hoopoe_dw_20180525.m4a	epops (Poland)	Territorial calls (male) (+ House Sparrow)	© DW
hoopoe_dw_20180525_NR.m4a	epops (Poland)	Territorial calls (male), no bkgd	© DW
hoopoe_jp_20200322.m4a	epops (Portugal)	Territorial calls (male) (+ Short-toed Treecreeper)	© JP
hoopoe_jp_20200412.m4a	epops (Portugal)	Territorial calls (male) (+ Common Chaffinch)	© JP

More Hoopoe sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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