15

Hoopoe

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

Description

Classification

Distribution

Sightings

Photos

Breeding

Nest

Eggs

Behaviour

Food

Call/s

Physical description

Click here for physical description of this species 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 body plumage. 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

Click here for information on habitat and range

The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to the ebird.org website.
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 Arabia Hoopoes, nominate race "epops", are found as permanent residents from southern Jordan along the (near-)coastal eastern side of the Red Sea (western Saudi Arabia) down to the southern third of Yemen. On the eastern side they populate the eastern half of the UAE and of Oman, to about the border of Oman with Saudi Arabia and to Salalah in the South.

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"

An Hoopoe, race "epops", was spotted by us regularly on the Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, in the timeframe September 2009 to January 2010.

Hoopoes, race "epops", were also found in Europe.

Click here for sighting information Race "longirostris"

An Hoopoe, race "longirostris", was spotted and photographed in Australia in February 2014.

Photos

Race "epops"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Relaxed Hoopoe
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, September 2009]

Hoopoe checking out the curious observer
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, September 2009]

Here a lateral view of a Hoopoe displaying its characteristic plumage
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, December 2009]

Hoopoe in need a bit of preening...
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, December 2009]

...and some more...
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, December 2009]

...but no amount of preening will help when half the Hoopoe's crest has fallen out
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, December 2009]

Dorsal view of a Hoopoe's stripe pattern
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, December 2009]

Dorsal view of a Hoopoe (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]

Here a wing stretch Hoopoe style
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, December 2009]

... and the same exercise seen from behind
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, December 2009]

BREEDING

We have been able to obtain breeding information in Europe.

Behaviour

While foraging, Hoopoes prefer to run from place to place, rather than fly short distances.

Frontal view of a Hoopoe running from one shady place to another
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, November 2009]

The Common Myna in the photo below tried to hustle the Hoopoe, but with little effect. The Hoopoe showed who is the tallest (with crest) and that settled the issue.

OK, Buddy, that's close enough! Hoopoe warning a
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, December 2009]

Food, Diet

Hoopoes feed on small animals (many of which are considered to be pests) they dig out of the soil with their long, pointed bills.

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_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 .

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