Hoopoes

Hoopoes are vibrant birds recognized by their feathered crowns, found throughout Africa, Asia, and Europe, with existing species including the Eurasian, Madagascar, and African hoopoe, plus a now-extinct Saint Helena species. The Eurasian hoopoe is common and not endangered, despite declining numbers in Western Europe. These birds prefer environments that offer both open ground for foraging and cavities for nesting, ranging across various habitats from heathlands to forests and are adaptable to human-modified landscapes. The hoopoe's diet mainly consists of insects and is a solitary forager, often seen probing the ground with its long bill for prey. These monogamous birds breed in cavities where the female incubates the eggs, and the nestlings have unique defenses including foul-smelling secretions to deter predators. Originally considered conspecific, the hoopoe was divided into different species. Introduced by Linnaeus in 1758, hoopoes belong to the order Bucerotiformes which also includes hornbills. They share a fossil record dating back to the Eocene. Hoopoes are migratory, and their conspicuous presence has impacted cultures and religions; both treasured in Ancient Egypt and depicted as unclean in the Bible. They appear in Islamic texts and were symbolic in ancient Persian literature. The hoopoe was selected as Israel's national bird and often appears in heraldry and academia emblems. Despite its cultural significance, the hoopoe also faces threats, with unregulated trade potentially diminishing local populations, and parts of it are used in folk medicine across various cultures.