Hoopoe facts: birds with stinkin' great accuracy | Animal Fact Files

poopos are named after their calls here's what a hupos sounds like previously the huppo was classified as a single species but new evidence has led to the reclassification of the genus and there are now three living species of hoopoes african hupos madagascan and eurasian hoopoes based on those names it's probably unsurprising that hoopoes are found in africa asia and europe there have also been rare sightings of them in alaska however these are likely wayward individuals and are not representative of the species as a whole hoopoes are woodland birds but generally don't like densely wooded areas though madagascan hubos can tolerate more foliage than the other two species hupos will also take advantage of man-made gardens and utilize non-native tree species they enjoy open areas with sparse vegetation for foraging hoopoes usually eat from the ground and enjoy crickets butterfly larvae and other arthropods as well as the occasional fruit small reptile or small mammal food is exceptionally important for breeding because males will offer up food to entice females when they aren't making calls to draw them in hoopoes are monogamous for a breeding season the breeding season typically occurs in september through december though it can change based on the hupos location some may migrate to breeding grounds while others will remain residents year round pupos build their nests inside tree hollows and in small rock caverns in cliffsides or reuse tree holes that were previously made by other animals usually by woodpeckers this aspect makes them vulnerable to tree removal by people and this can be a contributing factor to their population declines though they are still currently listed as least concern on the iucn the female hupo incubates the eggs during the two weeks before the eggs hatch and the male feeds her once the babies hatch it takes about a month for them to leave the nest but during their time there they are afforded some protections kupo chicks will actually send out sprays of well-aimed poop projectiles on predators trying to reach them they'll also let out vocalizations to confuse predators and warn them away from the nest the mother huppo also rubs a foul-smelling oil on the chicks to help prevent disease and to act as an antibiotic when all of these measures don't keep them safe poopoes are eaten by birds of prey and snakes but if they stay safe they can live a decade hoopoes are distinct with their call but they also come equipped with a fancy and distinct crest of head feathers kind of like the peafowls we've talked about previously there are around 28 feathers in a hoopo's head crest and the feathers will raise when the hoopo is excited sometimes the raised head feathers can look intimidating too hoopoes are known for taking a position on the ground where their wings are spread their head feathers are raised and their head is bent back over their shoulders previously this was thought to be some sort of imitation tactic though now it's widely accepted as hoopo sunbathing though it likely has nothing to do with getting that tan glow for the summer hoopoes also take dust baths probably to help rid their skin and feathers of parasites considering they make themselves stinky in order to combat bacteria it's unsurprising these birds would invest in another means of keeping out unwelcome visitors in size hupos have about a one and a half foot wingspan and they weigh about two ounces for more facts on hoopoes check out the links in the description give a thumbs up if you learned something new today and thank you for watching animal fact piles

Channel: Animal Fact Files

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Id: XmZy3HnAJZw

Length: 3min 24sec (204 seconds)

Published: Sun Sep 29 2019