How do you recognise a hoopoe?

The guide describes the Eurasian hoopoe (Upupa epops, Latvian Pupuķis) as a pinkish-brown bird with black-and-white wings and a fan-shaped crest that is usually folded back. Its long, slightly curved bill is used to probe the ground for insects and larvae. In flight, the broad wings produce a distinctive, undulating pattern; the illustration caption sums the bird up as a ground-feeding insectivore with a folding crest and boldly barred wings. Sound helps as well: the repeated, low "oop-oop-oop" call carries surprisingly well. Expect to find it on open, sunny ground with short vegetation, where it feeds mainly from the soil.

Sources

• Hoopoe

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