One of Spain’s most colourful birds the Hoopoe, a striking looking songbird, has been spotted in Lancashire – for the first time.
Lancashire based photographer Peter Smith, who visited Cabo Roig recently, said: “I’ve just returned from Spain and got some shots of a fairly common bird there, a Hoopoe.
“It seems there are a few that have arrived in the UK at the moment, according to Bird Guides.”
The Hoopoe is a one-off polytypic species and is distributed widely throughout the Western Palearctic, resident in southern Spain, northern Africa, Egypt and the Lebanon.
The Eurasian hoopoe is common in its range and has a large population, so it is evaluated as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. However, their numbers are declining in Western Europe.
In Buryat culture, a hoopoe when it lands near human habitation is a terrible omen presaging disaster, or even a death.
African Hoopoe differs from Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops): male African Hoopoe has richer colour above, it lacks the sub terminal white band on the crest, and has black primaries.
Female of both are similar. They are two separated species. African Hoopoe’s call is a distinctive “hoo-poo” repeated three to five times, or more.
The range of the African hoopoe extends across most of the southern half of Africa from the Congo. The Madagascan hoopoe is confined almost exclusively to the island of Madagascar. The Eurasian hoopoe is the most widespread species, with seven distinctive subspecies divided by geographical regions.
10 Facts about the Hoopoe. The Hoopoe is the National Bird of Israel; can be generally categorised into three types of living species; has a trisyllabic song; is an omnivore; can emit unpleasant chemicals to ward of predators.
KING SOLOMON
According to Jewish folklore, and the Koran, the hoopoe helped lead King Solomon to the Queen of Sheba. Unsure about the queen’s purity and motives, Solomon confided in the bird and trusted its advice.
Hoopoes like to nest in vertical surfaces with cavities; cliffs, trees and walls. The nest is lined with plants, feathers and wool; also in haystacks and nest boxes. Hoopoe eggs are smooth, non-glossy and measure 26mm x 18mm.
The Hoopoe is orange-pink, with a beak that curves downwards, with a large crest with feathers that stand up on its head, and black and white wings and tail.
The hoopoe is a striking-looking songbird whose name is meant to imitate its strange whooping call.
Hoopoes are monogamous, although the pair bond apparently only lasts for a single season, being territorial. The male calls frequently to mark his territory. Chases and fights between rival males – and females – are common and can be brutal.
“It is recorded six Hoopoe are in the UK, with one being in Freckleton, and one in Blackpool, Lancashire. A very striking and colourful bird, as you can see,” said Peter.
