Green Wood-Hoopoe
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 7:16 pm
452. Green Wood-Hoopoe (Formerly known as Red-billed Wood-Hoopoe) Phoeniculus purpureus (Rooibekkakelaar)
ORDER BUCEROTIFORMES. Family: Phoeniculidae
Description
33 cm; 80 g. Metallic dark green, with a purple back and very long diamond-shaped purple tail. Distinctive white markings on the wings and white chevrons on the tail edges make it easily identifiable, as does its long thin curved red bill.
Sexes are similar. Female has slightly shorter and straighter bill.
Immatures have a black bill and plumage without iridescence. White spots in primaries and outer tail feathers present. Juvenile Green and Violet Wood-hoopoes probably inseparable in field.
Distribution
Occurs in sub-Saharan Africa, excluding the lowland forest of the DRC and West Africa. Within southern Africa it is common in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, eastern South Africa, northern and eastern Botswana and northern Namibia.
Habitat
It generally prefers arid and mesic savannas, open miombo woodland, riverine forest, forest fringes, valley bushveld, thickets and wooded gardens.
Diet
It mainly eats insects (especially larvae), foraging mainly on tree trunks and branches, probing and searching for food and occasionally descending to the ground.
Breeding
Monogamous, cooperative breeder, meaning that the breeding pair are assisted by non-breeding helpers. Nests in pre-existing cavities such as hollows in trees, fence posts or buildings. But old woodpecker and barbet holes occasionally used. It can lays its eggs at any time of year, although in drier areas such as Namibia laying is usually before or after rain (September-November or March-June). It lays 2-5 blue eggs in successive mornings on the cavity floor. Incubation starts with the penultimate or last egg laid, lasting for 17-18 days. The female is the sole incubator, but she is provided food by the male and group members. The chicks are fed food collected by a number of helpers as well as the male. The female is usually the one who feeds the chicks, but the helpers, especially non-breeding females, will sometimes try to feed the brood, although rarely succeeding. The nestlings stay in the nest for 28-30 days, after which they clumsily fly away, although they still remain in the vicinity of the nest. The parents feed the juveniles for 2-3 months after fledging, sometimes noisily coaxing the juveniles into entering a roost hole. Once the juveniles are settled in, the adults fly away to roost elsewhere. The juveniles are capable of strong flight 3-4 months after leaving the nest, becoming fully independent soon afterward.
Parasitised by Greater and Lesser Honeyguides. Young Honeyguides fed by group up to 3 months after fledging.
Call
Distinctive cackling chorus, performed by all members of group, male’s voice lower pitched than female's. A loud kuk-uk-uk-uk-uk. Listen to Bird Call.
Status
Common resident, sedentary and in groups of 2-14 birds (average 3-4). The Green Wood-Hoopoe is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
ORDER BUCEROTIFORMES. Family: Phoeniculidae
Description
33 cm; 80 g. Metallic dark green, with a purple back and very long diamond-shaped purple tail. Distinctive white markings on the wings and white chevrons on the tail edges make it easily identifiable, as does its long thin curved red bill.
Sexes are similar. Female has slightly shorter and straighter bill.
Immatures have a black bill and plumage without iridescence. White spots in primaries and outer tail feathers present. Juvenile Green and Violet Wood-hoopoes probably inseparable in field.
Distribution
Occurs in sub-Saharan Africa, excluding the lowland forest of the DRC and West Africa. Within southern Africa it is common in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, eastern South Africa, northern and eastern Botswana and northern Namibia.
Habitat
It generally prefers arid and mesic savannas, open miombo woodland, riverine forest, forest fringes, valley bushveld, thickets and wooded gardens.
Diet
It mainly eats insects (especially larvae), foraging mainly on tree trunks and branches, probing and searching for food and occasionally descending to the ground.
Breeding
Monogamous, cooperative breeder, meaning that the breeding pair are assisted by non-breeding helpers. Nests in pre-existing cavities such as hollows in trees, fence posts or buildings. But old woodpecker and barbet holes occasionally used. It can lays its eggs at any time of year, although in drier areas such as Namibia laying is usually before or after rain (September-November or March-June). It lays 2-5 blue eggs in successive mornings on the cavity floor. Incubation starts with the penultimate or last egg laid, lasting for 17-18 days. The female is the sole incubator, but she is provided food by the male and group members. The chicks are fed food collected by a number of helpers as well as the male. The female is usually the one who feeds the chicks, but the helpers, especially non-breeding females, will sometimes try to feed the brood, although rarely succeeding. The nestlings stay in the nest for 28-30 days, after which they clumsily fly away, although they still remain in the vicinity of the nest. The parents feed the juveniles for 2-3 months after fledging, sometimes noisily coaxing the juveniles into entering a roost hole. Once the juveniles are settled in, the adults fly away to roost elsewhere. The juveniles are capable of strong flight 3-4 months after leaving the nest, becoming fully independent soon afterward.
Parasitised by Greater and Lesser Honeyguides. Young Honeyguides fed by group up to 3 months after fledging.
Call
Distinctive cackling chorus, performed by all members of group, male’s voice lower pitched than female's. A loud kuk-uk-uk-uk-uk. Listen to Bird Call.
Status
Common resident, sedentary and in groups of 2-14 birds (average 3-4). The Green Wood-Hoopoe is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.