hoopoe

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hoopoe
Hoopoe (Upupa epops)

Hoopoe ( Upupa epops )

Systematics
Class : Birds (aves)
Order : Hornbills and hops (Bucerotiformes)
Family : Hoopoes (Upupidae)
Genre : Hoopoe ( Upupa )
Type : hoopoe
Scientific name
Upupa epops
Linnaeus , 1758

The hoopoe ( Upupa epops ) is the only species or, according to another opinion, one of several species from the bird family of the hoopoes (Upupidae). The hoopoes are placed in the order of the Bucerotiformes together with the somewhat more species-rich family of tree hops (Phoeniculidae) . The assignment to the Rackenvogel (Coraciiformes) is no longer common.

The number of subspecies varies between five and ten, depending on the scientific opinion. Except for the subspecies U. e. Occurring in Egypt . major , the African hoopoes , which used to be regarded as subspecies of U. epops , are currently often viewed as independent species.

In Central Europe, the nominate form U. e. epops before. It is a sharply declining, rare breeding bird that has disappeared in large parts of its former range.

Appearance

The approximately thrush-sized , but much larger-looking bird (on average 28 cm from the beak to the tip of the tail) is unmistakable and well known in Central Europe, although only very few people can observe it in the wild here. Characteristic are the contrasting black and white banded wings with clear yellow inclusions, the long, curved beak and the approximately five to six centimeters long erectable spring hood , the ends of which terminate in a white and black finish. The tail is black with a broad white band around the last third of the tail and a white mark on the base of the tail. The rest of the body is russet. Another characteristic is the wave-shaped, butterfly-like fluttering flight, in which the broad, deeply fingered wings are almost laid on after each beat. Several long, continuous wing beats are followed by a few short, fluttering wings, so that the flight appears unstable and uneven. The sexes are very similar to one another; the females are somewhat smaller and a touch more dull in color. The constant nodding of the head is very noticeable during the foraging for food and in aroused situations.

voice

According to the hoopoe

The singing of the male performed by the singing stations is also unmistakable. It usually consists of three (two to five) muffled, reed-flute-like elements on 'u' (also 'up' or 'pu') that carry quite far. This reputation has led to the scientific generic name ( onomatopoeia ). The intervals between stanzas are rarely longer than five seconds. When disturbed, both sexes shout 'rääh', which is strongly reminiscent of the jay's warning call . When excited at times is Schnabel squires heard.

habitat

The hoopoe can colonize diverse habitats, but it is always dry, not too densely tree-lined areas exposed to heat with only short or even sparse vegetation. In Central Europe, the species occurs mainly in extensively used fruit and wine crops, in areas with grazing animals and on bushy ruderal areas . Even very light forests, especially pine forests, as well as extensive islands of clearing in closed stands of trees occasionally serve as breeding habitats. In the Mediterranean area, the species is relatively common in olive cultures and cork oak stands; but also barren stone and scree meadows with only sparsely shrubs and bushes as well as largely treeless steppe landscapes can offer the hoopoe suitable habitats. Closed forest areas, rain forest areas and deserts are not populated in the entire range of the species or only in their outermost areas.

In general, the hoopoe tends to inhabit lower altitudes, but there is evidence of breeding of the nominate form from heights of over 3000 meters , for example from the Altai Mountains; The hoopoe also breeds in Central Europe at least at the montane level, the highest brood record in Austria was at an altitude of 1260 meters.

Distribution and systematics

  • Upupa e. africana annual birds
  • Upupa epops breeding area
  • Upupa epops annual birds
  • Upupa epops wintering areas
    • (Overlaps with the northern end of the range of U. africana )
  • Madagascar hoopoe ( Upupa marginata ) annual birds

    • In the central Eurasian area, the U. e. saturata , in the southeastern areas that of U. e. longirostris and U. e. ceylonesis , as well as in Eastern Libya and Egypt that of U. e. major .

    • U. e. saturata: The distribution area of ​​this subspecies, which is generally somewhat darker and slightly gray on the upper side, begins in the west approximately in the middle section of the Ob and extends in a broad belt to the Pacific, bounded north by the southern edge of the taiga . This subspecies does not breed on Sakhalin , the Japanese Islands and most of Korea .
    • U. e. longirostris: This vivid reddish brown colored subspecies occurs in large parts of southeast Asia, southeast to Sumatra .
    • Central India, south to Sri Lanka is the distribution area of ​​the subspecies U. e. ceylonensis . Here too, the basic color of the upper plumage is an intense reddish brown; by U. e. longirostris it differs only slightly.
    • The north African breeding areas of the nominate form are joined to the east by those of the large, pale subspecies U. e. major . It can be clearly distinguished from the other subspecies by the overall stronger and somewhat longer beak. Their main distribution areas are in the Nile Valley and extend southward into Northern Sudan ; it is also an annual bird in some oases of eastern Libya and Egypt .

    In Africa there are four more species (subspecies) of the genus Upupa , all of which until recently were considered subspecies of Upupa epops . At the moment their systematic rank as a species or subspecies is very controversial. Alone the Madagascar hoopoe, which occurs in Madagascar, is fairly unanimously given species status.

    • U. e. senegalensis or U. senegalensis is native to the dry belt south of the Sahara from Senegal to Ethiopia . The plumage of these birds is overall lighter, the white components on the large cover feathers and on the hand wings are more extensive than in U. e. epops .
    • The very large distribution area of U. e. africana or U. africana , which extends from Ethiopia and Kenya to the Cape Province .
    • The breeding areas of U. e. Are located in a narrow strip on the northern edge of the rainforest belt . waibeli . This subspecies is larger and darker than the previous two. It also populates clearings and clearing areas in the closed rainforest.
    • U. e. marginata occurs only in Madagascar . This Hopf is also comparatively large. The white parts of the plumage, especially the tail, are smaller than in other subspecies.

    Food and subsistence

    The hoopoe feeds almost exclusively on insects . Larger insect species such as field crickets , mole crickets , grubs and various types of caterpillars and beetles are preferred . Spiders , woodlice , millipedes and earthworms are less common . Occasionally it preyed on frogs and small lizards . Laying birds and nestlings are also rare complementary foods.

    The hoopoe prey on its food animals on the ground, only in exceptional cases does it catch slowly-flying insects in flight. The prey animals are mostly located visually, but often also tactilely and probably also acoustically. Prey animals running on the surface are tracked, while those hidden in the ground are felt by poking. The poke holes (especially when catching mole crickets) are often widened by the fact that the hoopoe walks around in circles several times with its beak stuck in the ground. The legs and hard chitin parts of the prey are often removed before consumption. He often hits larger insects against a stone or works them on the ground; he often throws them in the air to swallow them.

    Breeding biology

    Courtship and pairing

    A hoopoe with a raised bonnet

    The hoopoe leads a monogamous breeding season. His courtship is characterized by loud rows of calls (also called Wülen or Ülen), which are usually carried in good cover with the feather bonnet up and the throat plumage raised. If a female reacts, he tries to impress her by handing over food, which is often followed by long chase flights. Often he offers breeding caves with loud croaking. If the female slips into such a cave, pair formation is complete. The copulations mostly take place on the ground. The hoopoe nests in tree or wall holes. The hoopoe usually only manages one brood per year. The female lays between 5 and 7 eggs, which are then incubated for 16 to 19 days. The young need between 20 and 28 days after hatching to leave the nest.

    Nest location, clutch and brood

    Upupa epops
    Sand bathing hoopoe

    The nest locations are extremely different and include full or half caves of all kinds. Natural tree caves are used as well as woodpecker caves, half caves in stone walls or wood piles, hollows under roots or other burrows. With breeding trees, the species shows a preference for tall old fruit trees, especially apple trees. Nest boxes are also accepted if they have a sufficiently large opening and a sufficient volume of space. The nest height is usually in a range of up to five meters.

    Mostly there is only one annual brood, more southern populations seem to step more often (perhaps even regularly) to a second brood. The clutch consists of six to ten, conspicuously longitudinally elliptical, dotted eggs with different colors on a bluish or greenish background, with an average size of about 26 × 18 millimeters; it is only incubated by the female, which usually begins to breed after the first egg has been deposited. The eggs are laid in the early morning hours at daily intervals, so that with a pure incubation period of 16 days, the incubation period can extend to 25 days and more and youngsters in very different stages of development are united in one brood. The nestling period can last up to 30 days. During the entire breeding season and at least the first ten days of the nestling period, the female and later also the young are provided with food exclusively by the male. Only when the young no longer have to be rowed does the female take part in the foraging. After leaving the breeding cave, the fledgling young birds are fed by their parents for about five days before they leave the parenting area and often migrate over long distances .

    Enemy behavior

    When it comes to enemy behavior, the hoopoes and their young have developed some special behaviors. When a bird of prey suddenly appears , when a safe escape into a hiding place is no longer possible, hoopoes take on a camouflage position that underpins how dissolving the contours of the body the contrasting colored plumage can be. The bird lies flat on the ground with its wings spread wide and tail; The neck, head and beak are pointed straight up. Mostly he is overlooked in this motionless protective posture. Completely deviating from the interpretation as a camouflage position, some researchers have recently seen this body position as an expression of comfort behavior when sunbathing; Hoopoes have also been observed in this posture when lathering .

    Nestlings who feel threatened hiss like snakes , somewhat older nestlings squirt their excrement out of the cave as a defense reaction. Even if they are grasped, they poop intensely. However, the secretion of a very foul smelling secretion from the root gland seems to be particularly effective . During the breeding season, the rump gland in the female is particularly developed, as is the case in the nestlings. Both apparently release the urine gland secretion at regular intervals, possibly increased in arousal situations. The pungent odor that usually emanates from hoopoe breeding grounds comes from this rump gland secretion. The claim that hoopoes do not, as a matter of principle, remove the feces of the young from the nest, is incorrect. Nestlings were found that were already sitting on a high layer of excrement, but in such cases it was mostly breeding caves which, due to their narrowness, did not allow systematic cleaning. Often the observed layers of manure also come from a previous owner of the cave, for example the stock pigeon , which actually does not remove the young's manure from the nest.

    hikes

    The nominate form is a migratory bird in almost its entire range, its main wintering areas are in the savannah belt south of the Sahara. In East Africa the species winters at altitudes of up to 3500 meters. Small populations , especially those from southwestern Europe (southern Spain, the Balearic Islands and Sicily) overwinter in the breeding area. Hibernations, some of which have been successful, are regularly recorded in southern England and occasionally in southern Sweden and Central Europe. In Central Europe, withdrawal begins at the end of July with an exit peak in mid-August. Hoopoes usually migrate individually and during the night. Apparently the Alps, the Mediterranean and at least occasionally the Sahara are flown over in their entire width without avoidance strategies. In the Himalayan region, migrating hoopoes have been observed at altitudes of approximately 7000 meters. The first homemakers reach their European breeding sites in mid-March, in the last third of April the European breeding sites are usually occupied. Migration prolongation was found relatively often in migrants , so that individual individuals appear in high northern areas in the spring, similar to the post-brood dismigration of young birds. The females show a significantly more pronounced loyalty to the breeding site than the males.
    No exact data are known about the migration habits of the non-European, especially the Asian populations. (In 2007/08 an Irrgast wintered near Lachendorf in the Lüneburg Heath .) The northern populations of the subspecies U. e. longirostris overwinter in southern India and Sri Lanka. The African subspecies are resident birds, but roam widely outside of the breeding season.
    The dismigration flights of young hoopoes can take place over long distances. Young hoopoes regularly end up in Finland, Scotland and the Orkneys . There is also a range of evidence from Iceland .

    Inventory and inventory development

    In Europe, the Hoopoe was up in the 50s -years of the 20th century a common breeding bird in some areas. Various factors (more strongly Atlantic influenced climate, biotope destruction and increasing pesticide input) triggered a sharp decline in area and population. Many previously regularly occupied breeding areas in Great Britain , southern Scandinavia , Belgium and the Netherlands as well as in all of Central Europe have been abandoned. In recent years there has been a particularly noticeable decline in the population in Eastern Greece and Turkey .

    At the moment, some small populations in southern England and southern Sweden seem to be recovering somewhat. In some areas of Central Europe, the species should benefit from the intensified horse keeping. In the whole of Europe, the population that is considered to be secure is estimated at almost one million breeding pairs. In the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg the hoopoe is considered extinct, in Switzerland , the Czech Republic and Austria it appears on the red lists , mostly in the highest endangerment levels. In the Red List of Germany's breeding birds from 2015, the species is listed as endangered in category 3; its breeding population was estimated at 650 to 800 breeding pairs for the years 2005 to 2009. In 2007, only 185 pairs were found in Switzerland.

    The densest populations of this type in Central Europe are recorded today in so-called secondary habitats , especially on military training areas or areas that were formerly used by the military. In Germany, intensive protective measures are in progress, for example on the former military training areas Jüterbog , Lieberose and Donauwörth .

    Name derivation

    The German name has nothing to do with Wiede or hopping or, as is also often assumed by trivial etymology, with Schopf . Most likely, an Old High German, onomatopoeic wūthūp is to be assumed as the origin. However, the ahd. Name is already wituhopfa ( mhd. Wit (e) hopfe, widhopfe , as. Widohoppa ), in which an old word for "wood, tree" (cf. ae. Widu, wudu , anord. Viðr , air. fid ) is included, possibly already at this time in terms of folk etymology . The scientific generic name is also onomatopoeic in nature; epops is the ancient Greek name of the bird, upupa is the Latin name. Other etymologically connectable German names are Hoppevogel , Puvogel and the Silesian / East Prussian Huppup (cf. also ndl. Hop , African hoephoep , English hoopoe and French huppe ) and the Lower Sorbian Hubbatz / hupac . The derivation of the battle cries “Hipp hipp” or “Hup hup” or “Hopp hopp” (in the English, Dutch and German-speaking areas) from the hoopoe's call is widespread, but it may also be folk etymological.

    The hoopoe in the arts

    Vogel , watercolor by Antonio Pisanello (1430–1440)

    In the Metamorphosis of Ovid the Thracian transformed Tereus in a Wiedehopf. This story, which can be found in Book 6 of the Metamorphoses, is considered to be one of the cruellest. The shape of the beak, which resembles a sword, is also pointed out here: “facies armata videtur” (6th book, verse 674).

    The hoopoe is king of the birds in Aristophanes ' The Birds and their leader in Fariduddin Attar's epic Mantiq ut-tair ("The Birds Talks"). The latter was inspired by the fact that the Koran mentions the hoopoe as a messenger between Sulaimān ( Solomon ) and the Queen of Sheba (Koran 27: 20 + 28). This has earned him esteem in Islamic countries and in Persian, among other things, the name "Solomon bird" (Persian morgh-e Soleymān ).

    The medieval poet Heinrich von dem Türlin contrasts the hoopoe as evil with the good lark in his novel Diu Crône .

    In his parody Reise zum Parnassus, Otto von Loeben lets an opponent of Romanticism ( who is supposed to be Christian Friedrich Voss ) appear in the form of a "hoopoe on proud legs".

    The poem about the Hoppevogel in Joseph von Eichendorff's From the life of a good-for-nothing is also famous :

    When the hop bird screams
    The day is not far away.
    When the sun opens
    No matter how good your sleep tastes! -

    Here he symbolizes the poetry far removed from God, which Eichendorff has repeatedly criticized. The hoopoe was considered sinful in two respects: because of its unclean nest and the unpleasant smell, it symbolizes false belief and fornication, but because of its splendid plumage, it symbolizes pride. In Eichendorff's works there are multiple figures who embody bad or false poetry, who utter the battle cry "Hup Hup".

    In Achim von Arnim's “ Die Kronenwächter ”, Anton insults the religious enthusiasts who want to devastate the old town church with the words: “You hoopoes, which sullied your own nest”.

    The hoopoe is also the title hero of an opera by Hans Werner Henze , L'Upupa and the triumph of sons' love (2000–2003, premiere 2003).

    Hoopoe in May (1967) was the German version of the song Puppet on a string by Sandie Shaw . It says: When you come back, I'll sing, then I'll jump to the door like a hoopoe in May.

    See also the old folk song The Bird Wedding : "The hoopoe, the hoopoe, he brings the bride a flowerpot".

    Robert Gernhardt's poem What would be if (2002) reflects the possible extinction of the hoopoe: Was the hoopoe missing, / was missing even more: / was missing a constant call, / was missing a quick flight, / was missing a light brown, / was missing black and white flicker ' n, / was missing this / completely unique / rousing stranger, / was missing this otherness ......

    heraldry

    The hoopoe in the Armstedt coat of arms

    The hoopoe is a common figure a heraldic animal in heraldry . He is shown in side view and the main direction of view is to the heraldic right. Often the representation is slightly stylized in the natural colors, but yellow or gold is also possible. It is important to highlight the wings and the feather comb in order to clearly identify it. The bird is depicted on a seat (twig, branch).

    A hoopoe is depicted on the Brechtian coat of arms. Above the coat of arms, which is only split below in blue and red, two hoopoes are shown in natural color in the upper golden part. They are seen as a symbol of the two districts of Unterdorf and Oberdorf. Below are two golden sheaves of straw. The coat of arms of the municipality of Armstedt also shows a golden hoopoe sitting on a golden branch in red. The coat of arms of Kuktiškės (Lithuania) shows a standing black and red hoopoe with a slightly open silver beak, silver feet, a ruffled hood and raised wings on a golden background.

    Others

    • In some cultures, hoopoes are considered an unclean, smelly bird species (see above: enemy behavior ). The idioms commonly used in German “ stink like a hoopoe” or “That smells like Hubbatz!” Indicate this.
    • The hoopoe became bird of the year 1976 in Germany .
    • On May 29th, 2008 the hoopoe, ( Hebrew Duchifat) was chosen as the national bird in Israel .
    • The name of cyclone Hudhud, which hit India in October 2014, is derived from the bird

    Postage stamps

    literature

    • Hans-Günther Bauer, Peter Berthold : The breeding birds of Central Europe. Existence and endangerment. Wiesbaden: Aula-Verlag ²1997, p. 279 f. ISBN 3-89104-613-8
    • Urs N. Glutz von Blotzheim (Hrsg.): Handbook of the birds of Central Europe . Edited u. a. by Kurt M. Bauer and Urs N. Glutz von Blotzheim. Wiesbaden: Aula publishing house. Vol. 9. Columbiformes - Piciformes . Wiesbaden: Aula-Verlag 1994, pp. 852-876. ISBN 3-89104-562-X
    • Susanne Oehlschläger, Torsten Ryslavy: Breeding biology of the hoopoe Upupa epops on the former military training areas near Jüterbog, Brandenburg. In: The bird world. Aula-Verlag, 2002, pp. 171-188 ISSN  0042-7993
    • Hans Münch: The hoopoe . The new Brehm library; Booklet 90. Academic Publishing Company Geest & Portig K.-G., Leipzig 1952
    • Max Grube: The hoopoe as a heraldic animal . in Herold 47, 1916
    • Bernhard Koerner : The hoopoe as a heraldic bird . in "The German Roland" 8, 1920

    Web links

    Commons : Hoopoe  - collection of images, videos and audio files
    Wiktionary: Hoopoe  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

    Individual evidence

    1. ↑ Voice example: Reviergesang (mp3)
    2. ↑ M. Martín-Vivaldi, A. Peña, JM Peralta-Sánchez, L. Sánchez, S. Ananou, M. Ruiz-Rodríguez, JJ Soler: Antimicrobial chemicals in hoopoe preen secretions are produced by symbiotic bacteria. , Proc Biol Sci. 2010 Jan 7; 277 (1678): 123-30, PMID 19812087
    3. ↑ AM Martín-Platero, E. Valdivia, M. Ruíz-Rodríguez, JJ Soler, M. Martín-Vivaldi, M. Maqueda, M. Martínez-Bueno: Characterization of antimicrobial substances produced by Enterococcus faecalis MRR 10-3, isolated from the uropygial gland of the hoopoe (Upupa epops). , Appl Environ Microbiol. June 2006; 72 (6): pp. 4245-4249, PMID 16751538
    4. ↑ Hans Jürgen Behrmann, Hoopoe wintering on the southern edge of Lachendorf , in: Mitteilungsblatt der Samtgemeinde Lachendorf , No. 3, 2008, p. 67
    5. ↑ Christoph Grüneberg, Hans-Günther Bauer, Heiko Haupt, Ommo Hüppop, Torsten Ryslavy, Peter Südbeck: Red List of Germany's Breeding Birds , 5 version . In: German Council for Bird Protection (Hrsg.): Reports on bird protection . tape 52 , November 30, 2015.
    6. ↑ http://www.vogelwarte.ch/wiedehopf.html
    7. ↑ http://donauries.tv/a.php?i=5665&t=Wiederansiedlungsprojekt__Nistkasten_fuer_Wiedehopf_und_Wendehals
    8. ↑ So z. For example, the model philistine Parsnip in War with the Philistines , the first writer and Meierbeth's entourage in Meierbeth's Glück und Ende, and the poet Winde in the fragments of love do not understand fun and reluctance
    9. ↑ Eichendorffs Taugenasst: Sources and meaning background by Otto Eberhardt, p. 395 f.
    10. ↑ Messengers in a tortured world: birds without borders, the national bird hoopoe “(...) The Israelis who chose the national bird - including children, soldiers, academics and Knesset MPs - refused to choose a bird of prey (especially the one threatened with extinction Griffon vulture) because they were not interested in a combative image. And the owl was also rejected because, according to Arab belief, it brings bad luck. (...) The idea that birds can act as messengers in a tortured world - like the dove and raven sent by Noah - motivated Israel's decision to adopt a national bird as part of the commemoration of the founding of the state 60 years ago. In Hebrew the name of the bird is 'duchifat', in Arabic it is 'hud hud'. And its English name 'hoopoe', as Emily Dickinson noted, sounds like 'hope'. (...) "; Jonathan Rosen, Haaretz , June 13, 2008
    This version was added to the list of excellent articles on September 1, 2005 .