Common Hoopoe (Upupa epops) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

The Common Hoopoe is a bird of open ground in Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa, and an exceptional visitor to the United States. It can spread its orange, black-tipped head feathers like a fan and has bold black-and-white wings. It probes the soil with its long, curved bill to find insects.

Appearance

Appearance: The bird is about 10–13 in (25–32 cm) long, with a long curved bill and bold black-and-white wings. Its crest can stand upright like a fan.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: Open ground
Grassland
Woodland edges
Range: Its regular range spans Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa. Alaska has only rare stray records.

Behavior

Diet: It mostly eats insects and their larvae, probing soil for food.
Activity: It walks over open ground and pushes its bill into the soil to find prey.

Life cycle

Nest: It uses a cavity in a tree, wall, or other sheltered surface for its nest.

Name and classification

About the name: The African Hoopoe (Upupa epops africana) lives in sub-Saharan Africa. Some researchers treat it as a , while others consider it a separate species. The Common Hoopoe is also called the Eurasian Hoopoe.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction

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