The African Hoopoe is a familiar bird mostly due to its funky ‘do, bold stripes, and long curved beak. We’ve been noticing quite a few around Likweti Bushveld Farm Estate recently where they’re often seen foraging the grass for insects, earthworms, small snakes or frogs.
Found quite commonly throughout South Africa, the Hoopoe is alone in its own taxonomic family making it rather unique. It’s closes relatives are kingfishers, bee-eaters, and woodhoopoes.
Hoopoes don’t makes nests, rather they prefer to make their home in holes of tree trunks or a natural hole in the ground. Breeding season is from July to December.
The bird’s name comes from its voice, which is a delicate ‘hoop-hoop’ or ‘hoop-hoop-hoop’.
We love to see them around the estate, they’re familiar and remind us of how beautiful nature is and how lucky we are to be able to appreciate it everyday!
African Hoopoe.
