Wood Hoopoes

Wood hoopoes, also known as scimitarbills, comprise a unique family of birds, Phoeniculidae, native to Sub-Saharan Africa. These non-migratory birds once had a broader distribution, as evidenced by fossils found in Germany dating back to the Miocene era. Closely related to kingfishers, rollers, and in particular the hoopoe, they are recognized by their metallic plumage in shades of blue, green, or purple, long down-curved bills, and short rounded wings. They exhibit sexual dimorphism in two species and have either red or black bills, which indicate age, with short, thick legs. Wood hoopoes are medium-sized, with long tails prominently marked with white. These predominantly arboreal birds live in open woodlands or savannahs, require large trees for feeding and nesting, and feed primarily on arthropods by probing into bark and rotten wood. They use unlined tree hollows to lay their blue to olive-colored eggs. There are eight species within the family, separated into two genera—Phoeniculus and Rhinopomastus—indicative of a divergence occurring approximately ten million years ago.