Hoopoe: the butterfly bird | Discover Wildlife Local Patch Reporters Hoopoe: the butterfly bird The flamboyant hoopoe is dressed to impress and has a beguiling song to match. Rob Hume shares his lifelong love affair with one of Europe’s most beautiful birds. 3rd September 2010 a - The flamboyant hoopoe is dressed to impress and has a beguiling song to match. Rob Hume shares his lifelong love affair with one of Europe’s most beautiful birds. “Look! it’s, er… it’s a woodpecker!” I knew the bird wasn’t really a woodpecker, but had to call it something. How else could this schoolboy point out such an unfamiliar black-and-white creature fluttering over a patch of waste ground in the coalfields of the English Midlands in November? It looked unlike anything else in my experience. This was an inexplicable time and place to see my first ever hoopoe, but it just goes to show: with birds, you should expect the unexpected. Even before they expanded their scope to cover mainland Europe, beginners’ books on British birds often featured the hoopoe.

The species was included, I suppose, to spice up field guides with an exotic taste of sunnier climes. Like many an eager young birdwatcher, I singled it out as a must-see. Spring surprises About 100 hoopoes arrive in the UK each year, but trying to catch up with one that’s been reported on our shores is far from easy. They appear and then disappear as if by magic, and seldom hang around. The majority of these hoopoes arrive in spring: those migrating north from Africa to Iberia and France have a tendency to overshoot, flying a little too far. Since most birds are precise in their migrations – the swallow in your shed is probably the same one that nested there last year – the hoopoes’ behaviour is more likely to have long-term value than to be a mere accident. So, might pioneering individuals find conditions here to their liking and settle, thus extending the species’ range, as happened with little egrets? A warm welcome It is sometimes suggested that warmer summers may tempt hoopoes to become regular British nesters.

I’m sure they would be welcomed here with open arms, but so far there’s little sign of colonisation, with fewer than 50 known instances of breeding in the past two centuries. Hoopoes, after all, are partial to big, fat grubs. If birds such as cuckoos, which depend on large, nutritious caterpillars in spring, are going downhill fast in this country, then it hardly seems likely that hoopoes will find conditions here to their taste. In truth, these are package-holiday birds, which can be glimpsed on beach holidays anywhere in the Mediterranean. They are also widespread from early spring to autumn across most of France, Spain and Portugal, and over much of eastern Europe. Without doubt, they rank among the continent’s most stunning birds – a flash of dazzling black and white combined with a liberal dash of pale orange, offset by long, sabre-like bills and topped with extraordinary make-believe fans on their crowns. Sunshine birds What do hoopoes need for a good life? Firstly, some kind of hole in which to nest, in a tree, wall, cliff or even an old rabbit warren.

Secondly, dry ground with sparse, low-growing vegetation or bare sandy soil, where they can run around unhindered on their short legs to find food, and, finally, a few trees to which they can retreat when danger threatens. Olive groves and stands of cork oaks suit hoopoes fine, as do small meadows with tumbledown walls and outbuildings. Hotel lawns and flowerbeds are worth checking for grubs, but intensive farming is bad news. As for most wild things, a stony, weedy, flowery field with an abundance of grubs and beetles is much better than a neatly planted, uniform crop. That’s why hoopoes, sadly, have a poor outlook in Britain, whatever the weather. Rising temperatures alone will not help these bobby-dazzlers to spread north. Mood swings As if their outlandish plumage were not enough, hoopoes also have a startling ability to show how they are feeling. Usually they hold their crests closed, like tapered spikes extending from the backs of their heads, but if their mood swings to alarm or excitement, the birds flick open the elongated plumes in a dramatic ragged fan.

It’s a bit like the avian equivalent of your hair standing on end. Hoopoes are, indeed, splendid creatures, but finding them can be tricky. Off the pages of bird books, in their native habitat, they simply vanish, lost amid the dappled, rippling shade and flickering leaves at the bottom of hedges, among the poppies, daisies and tassel hyacinths beneath ancient olive trees, or against the dark fissures of crumbling orange drystone walls. Now you see them... In this visually chaotic environment, the birds’ distinctive form dissolves. The rhythmic movement of their springing walk, heads bobbing back and forth like those of pigeons, crests half-opening and closing, combines with complex patterns of bars and stripes and their gorgeous sunset-hued bodies to create highly effective camouflage. Many times I have strolled through a hoopoe’s favourite patch thinking the bird was not at home, only to see it materialise out of thin air. Then, with a deep flap of its wings, and a brief rollercoaster ride over a wall, it’s gone again.

Even a fleeting encounter is a rich reward, but I make a mental note to approach more warily next time and to spot the bird before it notices me. If I manage to follow a hoopoe in flight over a longer distance, I never tire of watching its curiously jaunty, buoyant action. The wings flick and jerk in and out, until it settles again with a momentary, brakes-full-on flurry of widely fingered wingtips and fanned tail. Probe, bash, swallow On the ground, hoopoes waddle and rush forwards in short sallies, pausing to probe sparse grass or loose earth for some trifle. Like starlings, they have strong muscles around their heads, so that they can open their bills even when they are pushed into the soil. The birds pick up food with the tips of their bills, toss their heads back to get a better grip, then quickly swallow and move on. Larger prey, such as a locust or lizard, is subdued by bashing it against the ground in much the same way that a song thrush deals with a snail, before being broken into manageable pieces.

Poop, poop, poop I like to slip out early in the quiet of morning to listen for hoopoe song, an understated performance that is as much a part of the Mediterranean soundscape as the tinkling bells of sheep and goats. So much so, you might not notice it at first – you need to concentrate to bring the sound to the fore among the breaking-glass twittering of serins and corn buntings, the throaty music of nightingales and the staccato bursts of chattering fired off by Sardinian warblers. 10 Truly Crazy Birds From World Mythology - Listverse 10 Truly Crazy Birds From World Mythology Debra Kelly February 22, 2014 Mankind has long been fascinated with birds because of their mysteriousness, seasonal disappearances, ability to fly, and freedom to go where we simply couldn’t for the longest time. Everyone’s familiar with some mythological birds like the phoenix, but the world’s mythology can get way stranger than that. 10 Benu The Benu bird was an Egyptian version of the more well-known phoenix.

In Egyptian creation mythology, it was the Benu bird that flew over the surface of chaos, landed, and let out a scream that broke the original primordial silence. It was this cry that was said to decide what would be in this world and what wouldn’t be. Traditionally, the Benu bird closely resembles a heron, but has flame-colored feathers and occasionally a human head. It was closely associated with the Egyptian sun god, so much so that the image of the Benu bird came to refer to the sun god himself, often depicted wearing a crown. The Benu bird was said to renew himself every day, rising with the sun and renewing himself in the sun’s rays. His capability to renew himself meant he was also associated with Osiris, the dead, and the ideas of resurrection. The original Benu bird that created the world was born from flame at the top of a persea tree that stood on the top of an obelisk. Later stories share even more aspects of the phoenix—Herodotus tells the story of the Benu bird living for 500 years before setting itself on fire and being reborn from the ashes. The ashes were then placed on an altar to the sun god.

9 Anzu Anzu is an ancient Sumerian bird with the body of an eagle and the head of a lion. It was so massive that the only tree big enough to hold its nest was the tree that straddled the seven heads of the river of the sun god, Utu. Anzu’s flight would kick up enormous sand and dust storms, his scream would make the whole world shake, and even the gods viewed him as a nearly invincible threat. According to the legend, the giant bird stole the Tablet of Destinies, which gave him the powers of the gods and power over the the mortal world. Enlil, the son of the god Anzu stole the tablets from, is sent into the primordial, partially-created world in order to stop him and return power to the gods, unleashing flood waters along with the winds and storms that shape the world. Much later, Assyrian kings were credited with being the ones that had slain the giant bird, allowing for great stories of epic battles to be written about the area’s mortal rulers. Original stories about Anzu are among the oldest known of the “combat myths,” in which a hero is tasked to go off and take on a formidable foe.

Anzu and Enlil’s epic has been dated to about 1200 BC. Anzu also shows up in much later folklore in Israel, where sacrifices are offered to appease him. 8 Boobrie The boobrie is a shape-shifting bird from the mythology and folklore of the Scottish Highlands. Rather than using its wings to fly, it more commonly uses them to swim through the lakes and wells where it hunts. Well-known as a mimic, the boobrie will often imitate the cries of an injured baby animal, grabbing and drowning any adult animal curious enough to come close and investigate. It prefers cattle and sheep, but will also eat otters if needed. The boobrie also has the ability to shape-shift into a horse and walk on water in this form, and it can also turn into an insect to suck the blood from horses. There are stories of hunters who have sworn they have seen a water-horse—another mythical creature of Scottish folklore—but upon closer inspection of the tracks left behind, they see the distinctive, antler-shaped tracks unique to the boobrie.

According to eyewitnesses, the boobrie has a long white neck, wide wingspan, long beak, short legs, massive partially-webbed feet, and a cry that sounds like a bull. 7 Garuda (Karura) In Hindu mythology, Garuda is a bird belonging to Lord Visnu , large enough for him to ride and so brilliantly colored that he’s often mistaken for the god of fire. Even though he wasn’t created as a god, he’s often worshiped as such. He’s also found in Japanese mythology , where he’s known as Karura. Some depictions of Karura show a creature that’s part human and part bird, often having numerous arms, wings, and feathers. Interestingly, some of the Hindu and Japanese images of Garuda and Karura are almost identical. In Japan, he’s almost always shown holding or playing a flute. As Garuda, he usually has the body, arms, and legs of a man and the wings, head, and talons of an eagle, with brilliant golden feathers. Both versions of him represent the king of all birds and he can fly faster than the wind.

Both versions also give him a mortal enemy in the naga—evil, serpent-like creatures that threaten the natural balance of the world. It was Garuda that was responsible for the immortality of the naga. When the naga abducted his mother, he secured her release by trading them ambrosia, and they became an immortal enemy of his. 6 Orphan Bird The Orphan Bird is a little-known creature from a medieval bestiary by Pierre de Beauvais. It’s so little-known, in fact, that his work is one of the only known mentions of the creature. Not much is known about the author, either—only that he composed two bestiaries prior to 1218 that detail a number of mythological creatures that weren’t even originally from Europe. The Orphan Bird is from India and described as having the body of a crane, the neck and chest of a peacock, the feet of an eagle, and feathers that are black, red, and white. The mother Orphan Bird lays her eggs in water, and there are two different kinds —good and bad. The good eggs float, and when they hatch, the mother and father raise them, welcoming them into the world and rejoicing in their appearance.

The bad eggs sink to the bottom of the water and hatch there. These bad birds are condemned to live in darkness beneath the water. It’s thought that the Orphan Bird is an allegory for the good souls who will rise to heaven and the bad ones who are condemned to a life of darkness in hell. 5 Stymphalian Birds And Ornithes Areioi The Stymphalian birds, or Stympahalides, were flesh-eating birds from Greek mythology. Killing the birds was one of the labors of Heracles , as they had long been terrorizing Arkadia’s Lake Stymphalis. When he reached the lake where the flock of birds lived, he found he couldn’t get to them without sinking into the swamp. Athena gave him a rattle, though, and the sound of the rattle made the birds take flight. He shot some, and those that flew away resettled on an island. There, they were renamed the Ornithes Areioi and were eventually found by Jason as he was looking for the Golden Fleece. More were killed by the Greek sailors. The birds were originally described as perpetually hungry, carnivorous birds who attacked people and devoured them.

They were said to have been raised by Ares and be able to fire feathers from their wings with the strength of arrows. There are different versions of the Stymphalian birds in later myths, including one in which they’re actually temple guardians of Artemis and the only bird-like thing about them are their feet. In another, they’re the human daughters of Stymphalus, killed by Heracles because he believed they hadn’t welcomed him into their home with enough graciousness and honor. 4 Strige The strige, or strix, are creatures also originating in Greek mythology. They eventually became part of Roman mythology as well as the religious mythology of Europe in the Middle Ages. Originally, they were part of a story about two brothers who were turned into wild animals as punishment for eating another person. One became a strix , condemned to a life upside down without food or drink, whose despairing cries could be heard at night. It’s up for debate just what a strix or strige is. In Latin, the word “strix” can be interpreted as a screech-owl. In some places, the strix is more commonly associated with vampires or witches .

According to some texts, the creature is a bird of prey during the day and a witch at night . It’s the witches that are said to strangle children and drain their blood, but—much like a vampire—an amulet made out of garlic can be placed around the child’s neck to chase away the strix. In Pliny’s Natural History, they’re described as a real creature, but he also admits that he doesn’t know much about them. In the Middle Ages, they made the jump from classical mythology to Christian mythology, when they were said to be servants of the devil. 3 Liderc The liderc is a creature from Hungarian mythology that looks like a featherless chicken. There are several different types of liderc, and this one is called a mit-make. Closely associated with witches, it’s said that they will simply appear in their homes or hatch from an egg that they incubate beneath their arms. The liderc will act as the witch’s familiar, tirelessly performing task after task for her but ultimately killing her if not kept busy enough. It’s said one of the only ways to keep this from happening is to give the liderc an impossible task, like carrying water in a bucket with holes in it.

Another type of liderc is one that has been inspired by the stories of the incubus and succubus. Human in every way except for sporting the leg of a goose, this liderc preys on individuals who are lamenting the loss of a spouse. They appear every night and their relentless affections will cause the target of those affections to gradually waste away. To get rid of a liderc and prevent it from coming back, steal the shoe or foot it wears on its human foot. 2 Cinnamologus The cinnamalogus is perhaps one of the strangest explanations for a naturally-occurring commodity. As far back as the 5th century BC, cinnamon was a highly desired spice. According to Greek writers like Pliny the Elder and Herodotus, the most valuable cinnamon was that which was gathered by the cinnamologus . Pliny the Elder’s Natural History says that these giants birds build their nests only from sticks of cinnamon that they gather from cinnamon trees. Since they are so high up in the trees and so delicate, the only way to get the cinnamon down is to throw lead balls up at the nests to knock the cinnamon sticks loose.

The same story is told later by Isidore of Seville in the 7th century, while Herodotus tells a slightly different version of the story of the cinnamologus in the 5th century. According to the historian, these Arabian birds collect the sticks and build their nests high up on sheer rock faces, cementing them in place with mud. Those who are collecting the cinnamon cut oxen and other large animals into large pieces, leaving them at the base of the cliff and enticing the birds to carry them up to their nests. The nests can’t support the weight of the prey and fall, allowing them to collect the cinnamon—and sell it for quite the profit. 1 Hoopoe The hoopoe is an oddly-named bird that’s both a real creature and the stuff of some conflicting mythologies . In Arab mythology, the hoopoe is regarded as an enlightened bird that has powers of healing and water divination. It’s also the hoopoe that was said to have rescued King Solomon when he was stranded in the desert, having gathered a flock together to shade him with their wings.

In the bestiaries of Pliny the Elder and Isidore of Seville, the hoopoe is told to be one of the few creatures whose young will take care of their elders when they grow old and weak. However, the bird also has a number of other less charming stories associated with it. Isidore says it’s always seen around graveyards . A legend from Eastern European mythology states that when God created the hoopoe, he presented the bird with all the traditional foods that birds tend to like. The hoopoe refused to eat any of them, though, and as punishment, God condemned the bird to forever only eat the excrement of other animals. hoopoe - definition and meaning hoopoe Definitions from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition n. Any of several Old World birds of the family Upupidae, especially Upupa epops, having distinctively patterned plumage, a fanlike crest, and a slender, downward-curving bill. from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License n. An Old World bird, Upupa epops, known for its distinctive plumage, fanlike crest, and slender bill.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English n. A European bird of the genus Upupa (Upupa epops), having a beautiful crest, which it can erect or depress at pleasure, and a slender down-curving bill. Called also hoop, whoop. The name is also applied to several other species of the same genus and allied genera. from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia n. A tenuirostral non-passerine bird of the family Upupidæ. from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. n. any of several crested Old World birds with a slender downward-curved bill Etymologies from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition Alteration (influenced by Latin ūpupa) of obsolete hoop, from French huppe, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *ūppa, alteration of Latin upupa, ūpupa, of imitative origin. Examples Of all birds that hatch for themselves the hoopoe is the only one that builds no nest whatever; it gets into the hollow of the trunk of a tree, and lays its eggs there without making any sort of nest.

Legendary Creatures of Africa: the Eloko & Hoopoe Legendary Creatures of Africa: the Eloko & Hoopoe Posted In: Information and Theories 4/27/10 By: Yona Williams When it comes to creatures in Zaire and other places in Africa, the Eloko has made locals fearful of venturing into the deepest parts of the forest. In this article, you will also encounter a legendary creature associated with the Pygmy tribe ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å“ the Emela-ntouka. Eloko In the forest, a creature believed to be the spirits of ancestors of people living in the area are said to dwell. Called the Eloko, the creature possesses the characteristics of a dwarf. If they are in the forest, legend says that they stay close because they are harboring a grudge against someone that is living. In the majority of instances, the Eloko are seen as malevolent creatures. In central Zaire, the Biloko claim the densest and darkest parts of the rainforest as their home.

It is said that they will guard what they see as their own possessions (the animals and rare fruits found in the forest) with a jealous and forceful passion. Tales talk of only the bravest of hunters being able to penetrate the deepest parts of the forest, and come back alive. It is believed that if a hunter survived, it was because he possessed a high level of magic. The Biloko are said to stay in the hollowness of trees and hide in the leaves. Hairless, the only body cover they have is grass that grows on their skin. Other features of the beasts include eyes that pierce, snouts, and mouths large enough to open and swallow a human ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å“ dead or alive. In Central Africa, this creature is believed to have the power to cast a spell on those it comes in contact with. If you have an amulet as protection, you can avoid the effects of their kind of magic.

Emela-ntouka A myth associated with the Pygmy tribe deals with the Emela-ntouka ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å“ a creature of unknown origin that is believed to live in Central Africa. When translating its name, it actually means "killer of the elephants." This legend of a creature is thought to be the same size as an African bush elephant with brownish to gray skin. A heavy tail follows behind the back of his body. Some tales liken him to the same shape and body type as a rhinoceros. Like the rhino, the beast has one horn or tusk that some people claim was made out of ivory. Hoopoe Found throughout Afro-Eurasia, the Hoopoe is a colorful bird that possesses an elaborate 'crown' of feathers. Over time, the bird has made a strong cultural mark in Africa. During ancient Egyptian times, the bird was considered sacred, whereas in Persia, the bird represented virtue. To show the significance of the bird in regards to the Egyptian culture, the walls of Egyptian tombs and temples were adorned with the featured creature. Clickbank Name: Hoopoe - A first for me - All creatures....

- Wildlife - The RSPB Community on 20 Nov 2011 4:13 PM You are too self critical, Andrew. Your Hoopoe pic is far better than anything I've ever managed. The Little Green Bee-eater is absolutely stunning. The reviews on Warehouse Express about the Sigma 150-500 lens are very mixed but you seem to have got a good one. You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. on 20 Nov 2011 4:58 PM Hi Andrew, They are both fantastic photos. I've never seen a hoopoe either but I keep hoping every time I go to northern Spain. I just love that bee eater - stunning little bird. SB You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hi Andrew They are both super shots. I've never seen either so you are a lucky person. :-)) You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Posted by Anonymous on 21 Nov 2011 2:51 AM Thanks everybody for the comments.

I flet really excited to see the Hoopoe, he was just sitting on the ground in front of me. Only managed two shots before he flew off and wasnt as close as I'd like to have been. Going back again after work tonight for another stroll. TeeJay, you're right about the 150-500 they can be a bit hit or miss. This one ceertainly isnt as sharp as the Canon 100-400 but has a great image stabilizser and just that extra little reach. It's a bit heavy but seems to make an ideal walk about birding lens. At pretty much half the cost of the 100-400 it seems to represent good value. Early days with it yet mind you so my thoughts may change :-) Andrew You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. on 21 Nov 2011 9:08 PM Love the photos Andrew, really nice and nice birds too. My one and only hoopoe was seen in Austria 18 years ago. It flew off a cow pat into the neighbouring wood.

:-) JD You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. on 22 Nov 2011 9:21 AM Very jealous, brings back some good memories! First Hoopoe was actually in the Uk for me, on the south coast and one of my first uk rarities. Never seen one in the UK since, but in a place we stay in spain they nest in the wall opposite, and ive had them on a nearby golf course and some local nature reserves. Even more jealous of the Little Green Bee Eater, one of my favourites along with Blue Cheecked, especially the race you have there. Never actually seen one but the closest ive come is the european beeater. DO you get them where youy are? You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. © The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Charity registered in England and Wales no 207076, in Scotland no SC037654.

Contact us Terms & conditions Hoopoe – Photos | Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus Birdwatching from a Christian Perspective Menu Disclaimer About Bible Version Usage Copyright © Lee, a j mithra, April, Guest Authors, the Photographers and Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus, 2008-2012. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Lee, April, Guest Authors, the Photographers and Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Also, please honor the copyrights of articles and photos we have received permission to use. Hoopoe – Photos the stork, the heron after its kind, and the hoopoe and the bat. (Deu 14:18) All the photos in this gallery with permission of William Kwong Galleries Please click on photos to cycle through the gallery.

Eurasian Hoopoe Hoopoe Feeding Young ©©Dvir Lotan from Israel More to be added ………… Hoopoe Feeding Young ©©Dvir Lotan from Israel 3 thoughts on “Hoopoe – Photos” Craig March 12, 2012 at 8:31 am Dear Lee, I am a pencil artist and I would love to draw your photo of the hoopoe feeding her chick. Please could you let me know if this would be possible? Kind Regards March 12, 2012 at 9:01 am I received that from an email and not sure who the owner of it is or how to contact them. Did some searching on internet and found this at the bottom of this photo, “In this photo released by Israel’s President’s spokesman, Thursday May 29, 2008, a hoopoe is shown feeding it’s young. After a nationwide vote, the hoopoe has been named the country’s ornithological symbol. President Shimon Peres announced the winner in Jerusalem on Thursday.

(AP Photo/ President’s Spokesman’s Office, Ophir Lotan, HO) ORG XMIT: JRL141 (Ophir Lotan / The Spokesman-Review)” Also, another photo had “orphaned photo” as the source. From all of that and the others, it appears that it is a creative commons photo and I would say it is safe to pencil draw it. It is one of my favorite Hoopoe photos. Love to see the photo when finished. Lee The Magnificent Hoopoe: From Ancient Adulation To CBeebies • Lazer Horse On October 22, 2015 by Lazer Horse 26 Facebook Twitter The hoopoe has charmed everyone from ancient Egyptians to the viewers of CBeebies. It’s an amazing species with some impressive quirks… the Estonians aren’t so keen on him though. The hoopoe is a wonderful looking bird with one of the most pleasing of Latin names on earth: Upupa epops . There’s more to this guy than his snazzy hat and showy title, though.

The hoopoe lives across much of southern Europe and northern Africa, their colour scheme, fashion sense and general behaviour have earned them respect from societies both ancient and modern, carving themselves a special place in avian history. The hoopoe is in the same clade as kingfishers , rollers and bee-eaters but they’re genetically lonely, being the last existing bird in the family Upupidae. The hoopoe has distinctive black and white bands spread across its huge butterfly-like wings, and a long and gently curved black and brown bill; but it is his incredible headdress that really gets people’s attention. The Secret Of The Hoopoe’s Success The name “hoopoe” has two possible origins, it’s either a representation of the sound of their call, which is a kind of “oop-oop-oop,” or it could be from the French word “Huppée” which means crested. The hoopoe are succesful and widespread, partly because they need very little from the environment to make themselves at home. Their basic requirements are flat ground without too much vegetation, so that they can dig around for insects, and vertical surfaces with cavities in to nest (rocks, walls, trees). That’s it really.

Hoopoe seem to be able to tolerate temperature extremes without too much problem. They are often found living peacefully in Sub-Saharan Africa but have also been spotted as far north as Alaska. Hoopoe don’t mind extremes of altitude either, one was recorded flying at about 6,400 m (21,000 ft) by the first Mount Everest expedition. The hoopoe spends a lot of time digging in the dirt for snacks; they have particularly powerful muscles in their head and neck which allow them to open their bill whilst it is deep in the earth. Farmers have considered these birds friends for as long as society has been farming because their diet consists of insects which farmers deem pests. This gets the hoopoe featured in the good books of any rural community. The Hoopoe And Ancient Society The hoopoe’s striking paint job, impressive crest, hard-wearing nature and pest eating penchant has given the birds a special place in society. In ancient Egyptian and Minoan societies paintings of hoopoe are to be found on the walls of tombs; they signified that the child was the heir and successor of his father.

This painting was found at the ancient Minoan site – Knossos, in Crete: Egyptians would capture young hoopoes and keep them as pets. Even the child god Harpocrates is occasionally shown holding one. According to Horapollo (5th century BC) the hoopoe was renowned for being grateful towards its parents. Claudius Aelianus (around 200 CE) in On the Nature of Animals added that grown hoopoes were honoured for being doting parents, although neither he nor modern science has found this to be the case in any particular way. The Egyptians even used a hoopoe hieroglyph, but to date its meaning is not clear. This image comes from comes from the mortuary temple of Userkaf (2494-2487 BC, first ruler of the 5th Dynasty), which is at Saqqara: In the Torah, Leviticus and Deuteronomy, the hoopoe is listed as a bird that should not be eaten.

The hoopoe gets a mention in the Quran too; Surah Al-Naml 27:20–22: And he Solomon sought among the birds and said: How is it that I see not the hoopoe, or is he among the absent? I verily will punish him with hard punishment or I verily will slay him, or he verily shall bring me a plain excuse. But he [the hoopoe] was not long in coming, and he said: I have found out (a thing) that thou apprehendest not, and I come unto thee from Sheba with sure tidings. Islamic literature states that a hoopoe saved Moses and the children of Israel from being crushed by Og (some kind of giant) after crossing the Red Sea. The Hoopoe’s charms were not lost on the ancient Greeks or Persians either; they both considered the hoopoe the king of the birds. He gets special mention in Aristophanes’ The Birds, Ovid’s Metamorphoses and the ancient Persian book of poems – The Book of the Birds. In 2008 Israel chose the hoopoe as their national bird, pipping the white-spectacled bulbul to the post.

The Chinese Prince, scholar and artist Zhao Mengfu committed the hoopoe to bamboo (1254-1322): Interestingly, if we step into northern Europe, the vibes that the hoopoe get from the locals are completely reversed. In Estonian culture , the hoopoe is linked to the underworld , and the sound of their call is thought to predict the death of either humans or herds of cattle. In Scandinavia, they are considered a sign of impending war. I guess you can’t please all of the people all of the time. Hoopoe Physiology The hoopoe’s eggs are kept in small holes in rocks or trees. As many as 12 eggs are laid in northern climes, where survival is less likely for the brood, and as few as 3 or 4 in warmer environs. Another fascinating aspect of hoopoe physiology comes in a form of defence: they own a gland which releases a foul-smelling secretion akin to rotten flesh. The chicks rub this odorous liquid liberally across their young bodies and it is presumed to deter predators. The chicks are also adept at firing this substance with impressive accuracy should their nest get invaded.

Perhaps this is why the animals were deemed by Leviticus to be non-kosher. In more modern times the hoopoe has received an even mightier accolade in the British media. Can you think what it might be? I reckon some of you people reading this article, especially those with young kids, might have found the hoopoe’s shape familiar? Well, I will put your mind to bed. The hoopoe, albeit in a different colour scheme, is one of the “tittifers” who star in that creepy “In The Night Garden…” programme. The hoopoe, charming as it is, continues to touch the human psyche as it has done for millennia, but in a slightly creepier way. I’m assuming that, like me, you are now desperate to spot one of these fine feathered creatures for yourself. However, in the UK, they are just fleeting seasonal migrants. From April to May, on the south coast or in Norfolk you should spend some time hanging around golf courses, fields and dunes. You might be in luck, around 100 individuals are spotted yearly. Despite the bird’s snazzy plumes, they are surprisingly hard to spot once they’re on the ground. So, happy hunting.

MORE BIRDS: Hoopoe Hoopoe The downloaded image must be clickable when added to your webpage. The user should be directed to the provided link above. In addition, credit to the artist and GoodSalt are required alongside the placed image. Credit line should read: Image © Gilbert and Arlisle Beers from GoodSalt.com Related images: View All Images are Copyrighted by GoodSalt Inc. and may not be copied or used in any way without proper licensing. Images are digitally watermarked to prevent unauthorized use of unlicensed images. Purchased images will not contain a watermark. 11 Since they are detestable to you, you must not eat their meat and their carcass you must detest. 12 Any creature in the water that does not have both fins and scales is detestable to you.

13 Clean and Unclean Birds "'These you are to detest from among the birds - they must not be eaten, because they are detestable: the griffon vulture, the bearded vulture, the black vulture, 14 the kite, the buzzard of any kind, 15 every kind of crow, 16 the eagle owl, the short-eared owl, the long-eared owl, the hawk of any kind, 17 the little owl, the cormorant, the screech owl, 18 the white owl, the scops owl, the osprey, 19 the stork, the heron of any kind, the hoopoe, and the bat. Translation: The Hoopoe: Emissary of Kings, Secreter of Stink | Audubon The 2016 Audubon Photography Awards Winners The Hoopoe: Emissary of Kings, Secreter of Stink It takes a special bird to incur the wrath of a legendary king.

“I will punish him most severely,” rages King Solomon about the Hoopoe, in Chapter 27 of the Qu’ran, “or will kill him, unless he brings me a convincing excuse!” The Hoopoe’s crime? It was late to some kind of ancient bird consortium, having spent the previous three months traveling the land without food or water, spreading the good news of Solomon to all who would listen—and gathering intel on the king's rivals. You'd think the Hoopoe might be given a pass after such an epic assignment, but Solomon ran a tight ship, and lateness, it seems, was a cardinal sin. Despite its brief run-in with Solomon, or perhaps because of it, the Hoopoe has enjoyed a lofty status throughout history. Not only was it Solomon’s special messenger, it was also named the wisest bird in the world by the Persian poet Attar of Nishapur in his 1177 epic, The Conference of the Birds . But this pretty creature’s looks—not its brains—likely won over its many admirers across the years (and helped it nab the honor of becoming Israel's national bird).

Native to the grasslands, savannahs, and woodlands of Europe, Asia, Africa, and Madagascar, the Hoopoe (also called the Hudhud) is the only surviving member of the Hoopoe family. Its Latin name, which, like its English name is an onomatopoetic imitation of the bird’s cry, is extremely fun to say: Upupa epops. The Hoopoe bears a bright orange crest atop its fawn-colored head, and flies on a pair of elegant, zebra-striped wings. Its slender, gunmetal-colored beak—so strong it can be opened even when plunged into the ground in pursuit of insects —doubles as a weapon, and can bring the most brutal of territorial disputes to a grisly end, with males engaging in a bloody, mid-air beak-joust that sometimes leaves one party blinded , just as certain species of hummingbirds are known to do. Wise, beautiful, and scrappy—the Hoopoe can't help but command respect.

But as researchers from Iran's University of Isfahan point out in a recent paper , when the Hoopoe gets home, it leaves its dignity at the door: During breeding season, the female’s preening—or uropygial—gland, located under her thick, black-and-white tail feathers, swells dramatically. From this swollen node, the female expels generous amounts of a thick brown liquid that smells just like rotting meat, thanks to a notoriously malodorous compound within it called dimethyl-sulfide . Using her beak, the Hoopoe goes on to coat her feathers in this putrid goo, and if she has a newly laid clutch of eggs, she’ll coat them in it, too, making for a pretty repulsive nest situation. However, what may at first appear to be a flagrant rejection of hygiene turns out to be quite the opposite. This uropygial secretion the Hoopoe smears all over herself is filled with fatty lipids and a waxy substance called sebum that actually make her feathers more flexible and waterproof.

Furthermore, biologists from the Universidad de Granada in Spain discovered in 2006 that the substance also contains colonies of the bacterium Enterococcus faecalis, which is the natural predator of another bacterium, Bacillus licheniformis. And if you’re a bird, you DO NOT want B. licheniformis—this destructive microbe secretes enzymes that digest keratin, the protein that accounts for 90 percent of a feather's composition. So it makes sense for the mother Hoopoe to coat her feathers in the stuff, but her eggs? The behavior puzzled scientists for many years, because eggs don’t need waterproofing, and their slippery surface didn’t appear to be particularly absorbent. But just last year, the team from Spain discovered microscopic pits on the surface of the eggshells, which serve to catch the mother’s bacteria-laden liquid as it seeps out of her posterior. "It seems that the microbes in the pits, and the antibiotics they produce, act as a living shield,” science writer Ed Yong explains in his blog, Phenomena .

“They stop harmful bacteria from colonizing the eggs, and from traveling through pores in the shell to reach the chicks inside.” About six days after hatching, the chicks follow suit and develop their own gross defense mechanisms : When threatened, they’ll turn their tails to face their enemy and squirt liquid feces in its general direction. The Hoopoe may have its faults, but vanity doesn't appear to be among them. Yet something about the Hoopoe is still managing to upset the gods, even in the modern age. Last year, a massive tropical cyclone that happened to be named after the bird devastated local communities throughout eastern India and Nepal—and tore through Hoopoe nests on India’s eastern coast. Cyclone Hudhud ended up killing so many Hoopoes that local birdwatchers grew anxious about the species’ fate in the storm-affected areas. Fortunately, there’s no current concern for the future of the species, which is believed to be doing fine across its incredibly wide range. Thanks to its thoroughly nasty defenses and apparently serious espionage skills, this bird’s a survivor.

Question: What sort of creature is a hoopoe?
Answer: BIRD