Eurasian Hoopoe
Parque, Playa de las Américas, Tenerife
What3Words
///fail.talents.occulted
The Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) is a distinctive, medium-sized bird known for its striking appearance, unique "crown" of feathers, and a soft, repetitive "oop-oop-oop" call.
Appearance: They have a pinkish-cinnamon colored body with bold black and white stripes on their wings and tail. Their most notable feature is a large, erectile crest on their head, which resembles a "Chinese fan" and can be raised when excited or alarmed, or folded back when the bird is relaxed.
Bill: The hoopoe possesses a long, thin, and down-curved black bill, which is specifically adapted for probing the soil to find food.
Size: They typically measure between 25–32 cm (10–12.6 inches) in length, with a wingspan of 44–48 cm (17–19 inches).
Flight: Their flight pattern is unique and often described as undulating or like that of a giant butterfly, with rapid wingbeats.
Eurasian hoopoes are found across a wide range of habitats in Europe, Asia, and the northern half of Africa, including open woodlands, savannas, grasslands, orchards, and farmlands. They require bare or lightly vegetated ground for foraging and vertical surfaces with cavities (such as trees, cliffs, or walls) for nesting.
Their diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates like: Crickets, locusts, and beetles. Insect larvae and pupae, including those of the harmful processionary moth. Worms, spiders, and occasionally small reptiles or berries.
They typically forage alone on the ground, using their long bills to probe the soil and extract prey.
Nesting & Defense: They are monogamous and nest in cavities, with the female incubating the eggs while the male provides food. To deter predators, nesting females and their chicks produce a foul-smelling, meat-like liquid from a specialized gland near the tail, which they rub into their plumage. Nestlings can also direct streams of faeces at intruders and hiss in a snake-like fashion.
Eurasian Hoopoe
Parque, Playa de las Américas, Tenerife
What3Words
///fail.talents.occulted
The Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) is a distinctive, medium-sized bird known for its striking appearance, unique "crown" of feathers, and a soft, repetitive "oop-oop-oop" call.
Appearance: They have a pinkish-cinnamon colored body with bold black and white stripes on their wings and tail. Their most notable feature is a large, erectile crest on their head, which resembles a "Chinese fan" and can be raised when excited or alarmed, or folded back when the bird is relaxed.
Bill: The hoopoe possesses a long, thin, and down-curved black bill, which is specifically adapted for probing the soil to find food.
Size: They typically measure between 25–32 cm (10–12.6 inches) in length, with a wingspan of 44–48 cm (17–19 inches).
Flight: Their flight pattern is unique and often described as undulating or like that of a giant butterfly, with rapid wingbeats.
Eurasian hoopoes are found across a wide range of habitats in Europe, Asia, and the northern half of Africa, including open woodlands, savannas, grasslands, orchards, and farmlands. They require bare or lightly vegetated ground for foraging and vertical surfaces with cavities (such as trees, cliffs, or walls) for nesting.
Their diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates like: Crickets, locusts, and beetles. Insect larvae and pupae, including those of the harmful processionary moth. Worms, spiders, and occasionally small reptiles or berries.
They typically forage alone on the ground, using their long bills to probe the soil and extract prey.
Nesting & Defense: They are monogamous and nest in cavities, with the female incubating the eggs while the male provides food. To deter predators, nesting females and their chicks produce a foul-smelling, meat-like liquid from a specialized gland near the tail, which they rub into their plumage. Nestlings can also direct streams of faeces at intruders and hiss in a snake-like fashion.