Common Hoopoe
Upupa epops
Description 4
The Eurasian hoopoe is a medium-sized bird, 25–32 cm (9.8–12.6 in) long, with a 44–48 cm (17–19 in) wingspan. It weighs 46–89 g (1.6–3.1 oz). The species is highly distinctive, with a long, thin tapering bill that is black with a fawn base. The strengthened musculature of the head allows the bill to be opened when probing inside the soil. The hoopoe has broad and rounded wings capable of strong flight; these are larger in the northern migratory subspecies. The hoopoe has a characteristic undulating flight, which is like that of a giant butterfly, caused by the wings half closing at the end of each beat or short sequence of beats. Adults may begin their moult after the breeding season and continue after they have migrated for the winter.
The call is typically a trisyllabic oop-oop-oop, which may give rise to its English and scientific names, although two and four syllables are also common. An alternative explanation of the English and scientific names is that they are derived from the French name for the bird, huppée, which means crested. In the Himalayas, the calls can be confused with that of the Himalayan cuckoo (Cuculus saturatus), although the cuckoo typically produces four notes. Other calls include rasping croaks, when alarmed, and hisses. Females produce a wheezy note during courtship feeding by the male. Both sexes, when disturbed, call a rough charrrrrr, strongly reminiscent of the warning cry of the Eurasian jay. The food begging call of the nestlings is similar to that of a common swift: tiiii.
Subspecies 5
- Upupa epops epops -> found in the Balkans in summer
- Upupa epops major
- Upupa epops senegalensis
- Upupa epops waibeli
- Upupa epops saturata
- Upupa epops ceylonensis
- Upupa epops longirostris
Distribution of Upupa epops (Photo 8) 5
Light green : Upupa africana, resident population
Orange : Upupa epops, breeding summer visitor
Dark green : Upupa epops, resident population
Blue : Upupa epops, wintering
Brown : Upupa marginata, resident population
Sources and Credits
- (c) Aleksandar, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Aleksandar
- (c) Klaus Rassinger, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Upupa_epops_MWNH_1179.JPG
- (c) Scops, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Upupa_distribution.png
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_hoopoe
- (c) Aleksandar, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
More Info
iNat Map
| Region | Banat, Bačka, Južno Pomoravlje, Kosovo i Metohija, Podrinje i Posavina, Rasina i Toplica, Raška, Srem, Timok i Braničevo, Šopluk, Šumadija |
|---|---|
| Color | black, creamy, white |
