African hoopoe

The African Hoopoe has the average size of 25 to 29 cm, with a wingspan between 44 to 48 cm.[2] The weight is between 38 to 67 g when fully grown.[3] This is about the size of the average robin.

African Hoopoes have a crown also called a crest which is usually chestnut colored with black on the tips. This crown will raise when the bird has been startled or disturbed, especially when eating.[2] No eyerings or eye-stripes are present, but the bill is long, dark and narrow and slightly down curved.[2] These birds do exhibit sexual dimorphism, therefore the male and female are different colors. The male is typically fully chestnut colored, whereas the female has a grayer body.[4] Both males and females have black and white stripes on their wings and tail which are rounded.[5] This black and white striped pattern leads to a V-formation on their backs. The juveniles are colored similarly to females[6] except they have shorter beaks. You’ll notice in adults, the beaks are about the same size of the head.

When these birds are in flight, they flap between 4 to 5 beats, then pause in which their body drops, and then continue to beat their wings 4 to 5 times.[6] When in the air, you’ll notice the same black and white striping on the wings and tail on their underside as when they are perched.

Not much research has been done on the African Hoopoe, but they seem to have similar habits to the Eurasian Hoopoe, besides them living in completely different ecological niches.[6] Their biggest threats predatorily are raptor species which include hawks and eagles.[2]

The African Hoopoe is widely distributed throughout South Africa, as well as from Central Democratic Republic of Congo to Central Kenya and all the way south of the Cape of South Africa.[3] They have even been recorded as far north as Sudan.[3] A list of countries where the African Hoopoe has been seen is as follows: South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Saudi Arabia and the southern half of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Therefore they are considered to be of least concern according to the IUCN red list. Although they are of least concern, populations are decreasing and Common Starlings have begun outcompeting them for nesting sites in urban areas.[8] Even though the Eurasian Hoopoe migrates, African Hoopoes do not migrate although some may travel short distances within South Africa and other Southern African countries.[6]

The African Hoopoe prefers open and bushy areas, including thornveld, a landscape with mostly thorny bush and trees, and riverine woodlands in dry areas.[2] It inhabits broadleaf forests and savannah.[9]

The African Hoopoes most common call is easy to remember because it sounds like its name: “Hoo-poo”. This will be repeated 2, 3 or 4 times with a break and then continued with the same pattern.[10] This call is only made by males and is usually used during mating season.[6]  Besides the most common “Hoo-poo” call, the male will also produce a “swizzling” sound: “swizzle-swizzle-swizzle”.[10] Both of these calls are in mating season.[10] When not in mating season, these birds are more silent but still have some sounds such as the “rattle” and “huk”.[6] These sounds are used more often when the bird has been disturbed and is used by both the males and females.[6] Lastly, a sound: “choorie, choorie, choorie” is used by males when he gives food to the female during the mating season. Again this is only done by the male.[6]

African Hoopoes eat mainly insects. These include Coleoptera, which are beetles, Dermaptera (earwigs) and Orthoptera, grasshoppers, locusts and crickets according to a study done by Kopij.[11] Besides these, small reptiles have been found to be fed to chicks as well as worms, slugs, and small snakes.[8] Small seeds and berries may even be eaten.[2] To find the insects, the African Hoopoe uses its long beak to penetrate the soil[6] and then may whack the insect or prey onto the ground to break it up into smaller pieces.[8] They prefer to do this in shorter grass.[10] Unlike the rest of the year, African Hoopoes maintain a specific territory throughout the breeding season in which they feed.[6]

The mating season begins in mid April where the male seeks out a female, where he will ‘bribe’ her with little bits of food. Once the mate is found, breeding occurs later in August.[6] Once mating has begun, the incubation periods last between 14 to 16 days[2] in which the female incubates the eggs.[8] Once the chicks have hatched they will spend between 26–32 days[6] in which they will be fed mostly by the male[12] until closer to their fledging date when the female and male share the responsibilities. The breeding season then ends in December.[6] These birds are monogamous so each bird only mates with one other African Hoopoe.[13]

The African Hoopoe doesn’t make its own nest but rather finds holes that are just slightly larger than their bodies to nest. It seems possible that the nests are chosen by males but haven't been studied efficiently enough.[6] The nests are also usually found from the ground to a maximum of about eight meters above the ground.[8]

These birds are double brooded, meaning they may have two sets of chicks per year. Within these broods, 4 to 7 eggs will be laid which are smooth when freshly laid but become rougher. They are also blue-green when laid compared to a faded color after laying.[6] Another bird, the Greater Honeyguide may actually use the nests of African Hoopoes to lay their own eggs making them brood parasites.[8]