Hoopoe: a bird with a very memorable appearance (9 photos)

Many people have heard the name of this bird. Have you ever seen it in the wild? Here are some interesting facts about one of the most recognizable birds.





Ready to accept honors in all languages of the world!

If you ask any of our venerable ancestors what the hoopoe is a symbol of, then depending on the place of residence of this person, the answer will vary. This bird is a very ancient sign in mythology and culture. Indian Vedas, medieval magic of Europe, religions and songs of the Middle East... He even inherited them in the legends of Ancient Greece, and still walks in the African ones! Somewhere the hoopoe is the sacred bird of the gods and the conductor of their will, somewhere it is a great healer and the embodiment of virtuous love. I was even able to be an ingredient for alchemy! And name calling! Strong, right?

Birds are generally as unpretentious as possible. Just look at the range of the hoopoe. I took a philosophical approach to choosing a place for birds to live. Why choose one landscape when you can have many at once? There are hills, grassy plains adjacent to small deciduous groves, long river valleys, and the foothills of mountains. Birds also make their home next to people: in vineyards, gardens, fields.



Considering the diet of the bird, being in the vicinity of a hoopoe is pure happiness for people. No need to spend money on pesticides! Birds actively hunt beetles, butterflies, grasshoppers with all their locust relatives, ants, flies, spiders and centipedes even! And all this goodness is not only in adult form, but also in larval form. For their taste preferences, people have awarded the bird immunity - in many countries the hoopoe is protected at the legislative level.





Due to the fact that the hoopoe has a rather short tongue, birds often throw prey so that it flies directly into its beak.

The variety of biomes in which the bird can live influenced the spread of the hoopoe around the planet. This is Central Africa south of the Sahara and two-thirds of Eurasia, bypassing only its northern part. That’s why the bird has been inherited in mythology, because at all the main points of the origin of civilizations it was an invariable part of the fauna.



But finding a hoopoe is not easy. The birds carefully hide from strangers in thickets and crowns. And why shouldn’t he hide, he’s quite small in size! From 25 to 30 centimeters in length, and weight reaches 90 grams. If most other birds of a similar size cluster in groups, then the hoopoe chooses splendid loneliness. Our crested friend does not form a flock; he gathers with his own kind only during the breeding season, and even then with his significant other.



The crest of a hoopoe grows up to 10 cm. Why do we need these cockatoos of yours when we have such handsome ones?

The hoopoe escapes from danger, fluttering like a butterfly. Literally: this is how ornithologists describe the flight of a bird. But if it was not possible to escape, our hero acts out a one-man show! He falls to the ground, wings to the sides and beak up - he’s dead, yes, yes! You definitely don’t need to eat! You see, proud predator, I even smell bad already!



The smell, by the way, is really very bad. During the breeding season, both adults and their chicks begin to produce a special oily secretion that imparts a disgusting aroma. This nausea is produced by the coccygeal gland, which also provides fluid for the care of feathers. Therefore, as soon as a dangerous comrade approaches the nest, the hoopoe and its family do not wait long: it bombards them with droppings and its stink, and in general does not clean the nest of excrement.



This is exactly how the hoopoe copes with its task of secrecy perfectly, because due to the unpleasant smell, few people will go to check who is creating such amber there. An ancient man did so accurately, and therefore wrote down good omens and positive qualities on the account of the hoopoe. But the hoopoe’s nest is rich not only in smells, but also in a strong family. Because birds are monogamous, they choose a partner and then work hard all season to raise their offspring together.



The males choose the territory for their home.Grooms fight with other applicants for a successful plot. As soon as the lands are recaptured, you can invite the lady of your heart to the shows. The established pair chooses a place for the nest together. This could be a hollow tree, a coastal slope, or a rocky crevice. It also happens that a couple will camp somewhere in a pile of old bones left over from someone's good dinner. Young hoopoes are taught from childhood to get used to everything!



The female will lay 4 to 9 eggs in the nest. In 25-30 days the first chick will hatch, and a month later the entire brood will already be on the wing. The youth will gain intelligence and experience together with their parents until the end of the season.