Eurasian Hoopoe

The name is derived from its fan-like crest, which once looked like eight separate heads.

Scientific name	Upupa epop
English name	Eurasian Hoopoe
Japanese name	戴勝
Class	Aves
Order	Bucerotiformes
Family	Upupidae
Genus	Upupa
Species	epop
Full length	Approx. 28cm
Distribution	Distributed from Southern Europe to Asia. In Japan, it is a passage migrant.

Eurasian Hoopoe Characteristics and Morphology

Slightly less than 30 cm in length. The body is bright brown with a slender silhouette, giving an impression somewhat like a herbivorous mammal. Monomorphic.
Characterized by a magnificent fan-shaped crest. The head has a stronger orange tint. The tips of the crest feathers are black. The bill is long, thin, and slightly curved, making it suitable for probing for food in the ground. The iris is black. The area from the neck to the shoulders is a somewhat dull brown. A pattern of black and pale brown stripes runs from the back to the tail. The tips of the tail feathers are dark brown.

Song

Cries with a characteristic high voice like "po-po-po-po..."

Eurasian Hoopoe Ecology

Habitat

Inhabits grasslands and farmlands. It stands out in meadows but blends in well with the background when on the soil.

Food

Preys on insects, spiders, and earthworms on or under the ground.

Life Cycle

Nests and breeds in tree hollows.

Eurasian Hoopoe Photos

Eurasian Hoopoe Photos are introduced.
Tap the photo to open the detail page.

The magnificent crest is the origin of its Japanese name.

Inserting its bill into the ground up to the base.

It gives an impression somewhat like a herbivore.

Eurasian Hoopoe Behavior

It stabs its long, thin bill into the ground to skillfully pull out prey. Its flight is not particularly fast. The striped pattern is very prominent while flying.

Eurasian Hoopoe Information

Naming

The scientific name "epops" is believed to be an onomatopoeic rendering of its call. The Japanese name "Yatsugashira" (Eight Heads) comes from the way the crest looks like eight separate heads when spread.

Eurasian Hoopoe Found Locations

Grassland in February

I photographed an individual that flew into a grassland in February. It was wandering the ground foraging. It thrust its bill into holes about 1 cm in diameter up to the base; once it caught prey, it tossed it up and swallowed it. It was an interesting gesture unique to the length of its bill.
It spread its crest only once. Until then, it had a slender silhouette that felt somewhat like a herbivore, but the sight of the crest spread was elegant and beautiful.