The green wood hoopoe (''Phoeniculus purpureus'') is a large, up to long,
near-passerine
Near passerines and higher land-bird assemblage are terms of traditional, pre-cladistic taxonomy that have often been given to tree-dwelling birds or those most often believed to be related to the true passerines (order Passeriformes) owing to mor ...
tropical bird native to
Africa. It is a member of the family
Phoeniculidae
The wood hoopoes or scimitarbills are a small African family, Phoeniculidae, of near passerine birds. They live south of the Sahara Desert and are not migratory. While the family is now restricted to Sub-Saharan Africa, fossil evidence shows th ...
, the
wood hoopoes, and was formerly known as the red-billed wood hoopoe.
Description
This abundant species is a metallic dark green, with a purple back and very long diamond-shaped purple tail. Distinctive white markings on the wings and white chevrons on the tail edges make it easily identifiable, as does its long, thin, curved red bill. Sexes are similar, but immatures have a black bill.
Food and foraging
The green wood hoopoe is an insect-eating species. It feeds mainly on the ground, at
termite mounds, or on tree trunks, and forms flocks outside the breeding season. Its specialised claws enable it to cling easily to the underside of branches while closely inspecting the bark for insects.
Calls
This conspicuous bird advertises its presence with its loud ''kuk-uk-uk-uk-uk'' call and other vocalisations.
Breeding
The green wood hoopoe is a
cooperative breeder
Cooperative breeding is a social system characterized by alloparental care: offspring receive care not only from their parents, but also from additional group members, often called helpers. Cooperative breeding encompasses a wide variety of group s ...
and common resident in the forests, woodlands and suburban gardens of most of
sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa is, geographically, the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lies south of the Sahara. These include West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the List of sov ...
. It is found in groups of up to a dozen or so birds with only one breeding pair. The breeding female lays two to four blue eggs in a natural tree hole or old barbet nest and incubates them for about 18 days. On hatching, she and the nestlings are fed by the rest of the group, even after they have fledged and left the nest hole. The group is fearless in defence of the nestlings against intruders. This species is parasitised by the
greater and
lesser honeyguide
The lesser honeyguide (''Indicator minor'') is a species of bird in the family Indicatoridae.
Range
It is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Rep ...
.
[Roberts Bird Guide (2007)]
Status
Widespread and common throughout its large range, the green wood hoopoe is assessed as
Least Concern on the
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Gallery
Green Wood Hoopoe, Phoeniculus purpureus, at uMkhuze Game Reserve, kwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (15435516825).jpg, Chattering family group
Green Woodhoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus) - Flickr - Lip Kee (5).jpg, Chattering and displaying
Green Woodhoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus) - Flickr - Lip Kee (7).jpg, In flight
Phoeniculus purpureus01.jpg, Feeding at aloe flowers in winter
Phoeniculus purpureus00.jpg, Immature fledgling with black bill peeking from old barbet hole
Green wood-hoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus).jpg, ''P. p. niloticus'' at Lake Baringo, Kenya
References
* ''Birds of The Gambia'' by Barlow, Wacher and Disley,
External links
BirdLife Species Factsheet* Redbilled woodhoopoe â€
Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds
Photograph of a Green Woodhoopoe
{{Taxonbar, from=Q811583
green wood hoopoe
Birds of Sub-Saharan Africa
green wood hoopoe
green wood hoopoe