My Favourite Bird : African Hoopoe

My Favourite Bird: African Hoopoe

African Hoopoe happen to my favorite bird. Who stole my heart during my internship at the Hell’s Gate National Park, Kenya. It was here that I was able to spend some quality time with this bird. Ending up loving her so much.

Hammock nest may have amazed me due to its complexity. But African hoope was too adorable.

Other hoopoe species

  • Eurasian hoopoe
  • Madagascan hoopoe

All hoopoes are widespread in Asia, North & Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar as well as Europe.

African Hoopoe

They were named after one of its call it makes. Having a crown of feathers on their heads and covered with colorful feathers.

They mainly feed on insects, small reptiles, amphibians as well plant parts.

FYI

In 2008, Israel nominated African Hoopoe to be the national bird.

Unlike other birds that put effort in building their nests, they look for holes in trees, rocks or walls. And makes it their home. The entry is narrowed to only allow the male to bring inmeals.

The beaks not only aid them dig for insects underground, they use it for fighting.

Male African Hoopoe are a catch

They feed the females with insects with a hope to steal their heart or is it to make their way into their hearts. But it does work.

And this was one of the things that interested me alot. I would watch the male do their best feeding the females yet they had not eaten anything themselves. They only ate once the female was full.

They sun/sand bath as if they are about to fight someone.

During flight, their wings roll out as those of butterflies.

Conclusion

Unlike the big games, birds such as African Hoopoe need you to spend a little bit more time with to full enjoy them.

By observing them and be up close, you get to enjoy incredible moments that a photograph may never manage to capture.

Lets embrace bird watching and unlock awesomeness loaded in birds.

14 thoughts on “My Favourite Bird : African Hoopoe”

  1. Its nice to know of your Favorite Bird.
    The males of the World are Wonder beings you see, they feed the whole family for that matter and all of strive and sometimes starve to make them Happy. Leave aside they get the Love in return or not. 😃
    I Love Bird watching they are such interesting creatures.
    Fond Regards
    Shiva
    🎶🌷

  2. Wow thanks for sharing. I was there in 2017 and didn’t see this bird. A bummer. I actually try to catch alot of the animal specials on the history channel and birds are amazing with what they have to do, the males to get the females birds attention. 🤭

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