Truly African Birds Found in South Africa

[Richprins]

[Klipspringer]

One interesting detail of woodhoopoe biology is that the sexes often differ in bill length, with males having substantially longer, more curved bills (a male's bill can be more than one-third longer than a female's). Females forage on branches for small insects, while males probe into crevices for larger prey. Sexual dimorphism in bill length and shape is fairly widespread in birds, and it means that the sexes avoid competing with one another by acting as separate 'ecological species'.

[Lisbeth]

Something new.....again

[Klipspringer]

Threats from predators
No one is really too sure why woodhoopoes always roost in a cavity. Some evidence suggests that during winter, group huddling in cavities can result in a considerable saving of energy. This does not explain why, on warm nights, cavities are preferred over safe roosts in thorn bushes or high up in trees. What is known for sure, however, is that roosting in cavities can be downright dangerous. Cavity raiding by nocturnal, arboreal predators such as genets, African wild cats and feral domestic cats, and possibly a number of snake species, is well known and in some areas is a significant cause of death. Group-living and cavity roosting seem to have set the stage for a strong selective pressure for woodhoopoes to evolve some mechanism that would counteract the high risk of predation.

[Richprins]

[nan]

a cavity like that
Green Wood-Hoopoe

Green Wood-Hoopoe - Kruger 13.11.2009

[Klipspringer]

This looks a bit small for a group of birds as roosting or breeding site Or the cavity extends downwards and is large

Is the bird maybe foraging for insects?

[Lisbeth]

What I thought too

[nan]

This looks a bit small for a group of birds as roosting or breeding site Or the cavity extends downwards and is large

Is the bird maybe foraging for insects?

I don't know
but I have a pic where/when the bird go out of the "cave"... will post a bit later

[nan]

here you are
several days in a row this one is 14.11.2009 (the other was 13.11.2009)

Green Wood-Hoopoe