Hoopoes
By Charlie • September 13, 2007 • 8 commentsHoopoes Upupa epops - pronounced “hoo-poo” (both the colloquial and scientific names are onomatopoeic and based on the soft “hoop hoop” call) - are surely one of the Palearctic’s most characterful and unmistakeable birds. Breeding from southern Europe to Russia they are plentiful migrants throughout the eastern Gulf Emirates and States and are found commonly in parks and gardens looking for insects and worms, even feeding near to traffic on the many grassed central reservations that have appeared as road use has developed throughout the region. Wary rather than shy, Hoopoes usually only raise their exotically-striped head-feathers when disturbed or on landing after their typically short flights. Their wings, as the photos below show, are broad and beautifully patterned and their flight is usually described as “butterfly-like”: surprisingly for such seemingly oddly-designed birds they are incredibly maneouvrable however and can dodge hunting hawks and falcons by ’swivelling’ or ‘dropping’ out of the way (a great trick I once saw a Hoopoe perform as a non-plussed Shikra grabbed at the suddenly empty air in front of it).
The Hoopoes shown here were part of a spectacular fall of migrants in Dubai’s Safa Park, and there were at least 40 scattered in small groups on the grass lawns throughout Safa. The group photograph was taken in the mid-afternoon, the rest - of four different Hoopoes “dust-bathing” - were taken in the small “Birds Sanctuary” within the park towards dusk, where up to twelve Hoopoes were apparently preparing to roost.
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All photographs © Charlie Moores
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Now this is a bird I would like to see!
No chance in Germany at the time you’re visiting, it is only a rare and very localized breeder, mainly in the south-west and south-east.
They are great birds and Charlie’s pictures capture very nicely (as was to be expected from a Moores Gallery) what is so amazing about them: they can change their appearance easily and appear like several different species.
That’s a bird I’ve wanted to see for a long time!
Not only their flight but also their colour pattern is almost ‘butterfly-like’. Stunning birds. And stunning photos.
What a great looking bird! Fantastic shots!
Yes they are beautiful, and it is always fantastic to see them. Their call is part of the typical mood of the best birding areas if Hungary. The best way i found to get close to them is when you spot them by the roadside and drive slowly towards them. Sometimes you can get as close as 3 meters.
If you want to see them join us in one of our tours.
Hoopoes are incredibly cool birds. In flight the patterns on their wings are just amazing. I like them so much I voted in the elections and got some friends to vote for them, too!
As to the Reuter’s article — calling the Hoopoe “pink” was bad enough, but they made an even worse error by reporting that the Yellow-vented Bulbul” was one of the birds in the election. Yellow-vented Bulbuls aren’t resident in Israel — Spectacled Bulbuls are (it is true, however, that Spectacled Bulbuls they do have bright yellow vents!).
we loved the pictures. we have just returned from the algarve, where
there were several of these beautiful birds in the grounds of our hotel.
They were quite happy to wander in among the people, as long as no one
tried to get too close to them.We were able to get a couple of good
photos;but not as good as yours.