Hoopoes in Africa

Only one species in the Hoopoe bird group can put up its head feathers. The others are of a different family and are relatively plain. If you look closely, they are quite beautiful with glossy feathers and white patterns.

This is an African hoopoe, shown here with the hairs on its head lying down. The long beak is for picking out insects.

Green wood hoopoe is the name of this bird. Is it green? You may ask, but its dark plumage has a green sheen to it when the light hits it. It looks small in the photo, it is about 30 cm long including the tail. The curved beak, as you can see, is used to catch insects in the bark.

This is a little confusing, but it is called a black-billed green wood hoopoe, which is very close to the green wood hoopoe above. It is very similar to the Green wood hoopoe above. The way to tell them apart is by the color of their beaks. While the above bird has a bright red beak, this one has a black beak. Both birds were photographed at Lake Nakuru.