Hoopoe (1), Camp Purple, Mukteshwar, Uttarakhand
The Hoopoe is classified in the group that also includes kingfishers, bee-eaters, rollers, and woodhoopoes.
Widespread in Europe, Asia, and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. Most European and north Asian birds migrate to the tropics in winter. In contrast the African populations are sedentary year-round.
It is a medium sized bird about 25–32 cm long.
In what was long thought to be a defensive posture, Hoopoes sunbathe by spreading out their wings and tail low against the ground and tilting their head up; they often fold their wings and preen halfway through. The Hoopoe also enjoys taking dust and sand baths.
The diet of the Hoopoe is mostly composed of insects, although small reptiles as well as some plant matter such as seeds and berries are sometimes taken as well.
Monogamous, although the pair bond apparently only lasts for a single season. The nest is in a hole in a tree or wall, with a narrow entrance; it may be unlined or various scraps may be collected. The female alone is responsible for incubating the eggs. Clutch size varies with location, with northern hemisphere birds laying more eggs than those in the southern hemisphere and birds in higher latitudes having larger clutches than those closer to the equator. In central and northern Europe and Asia the clutch size is around 12, whereas it is between 4 in the tropics and 7 in the subtropics. The eggs are round and milky blue on laying but quickly discolour in the increasingly dirty nest.
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