II. Birds of Splendor
Eurasian hoopoe
Index Naturae
IN 1.40.11-A
Eurasian hoopoe
Upupa epops
Adult portrait
II. Birds of Splendor
Field notes
A curved bill and striped wings make the hoopoe unmistakable even before its crest opens. It searches open ground for insects and their larvae, then returns to a sheltered nesting cavity. Northern populations travel between breeding grounds and warmer winter quarters.
- Range
- Europe and Asia; many European birds migrate to Africa for winter.
- Habitat
- Open ground, pastures, orchards and lightly wooded landscapes with nesting cavities.
Conservation
Suitable feeding ground and nesting holes must occur together. Research in Europe links local conservation to maintaining that combination across working landscapes; a broad distribution can conceal vulnerable populations where habitat quality has declined.
Sources & conservation context
- British Trust for Ornithology — Hoopoe
- RSPB — Hoopoe
- IUCN Red List — Upupa epops, BirdLife International 2020
- University of Bern Conservation Biology — Hoopoe research
Source review: 6 October 2026. Assessment dates, where given, belong to the cited source.