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Hoopoe's making out (or something)



(Just testing tinypic, got some complaints recently that Flickr's too slow)

African Hoopoe
Upupa africana

This bird is unmistakable.

Female: Duller.
Juvenile: More duller.
Habitat: Thornveld, open broadleafed woodland, parks and gardens.
Status: Common.
Call: Uttered 'hoop-hoop-hoop'.

Used to have one in my garden. There used to be a pair in the Satara parking area that has now given way to the temporary entrance.

Seen at the Tsende waterhole just north of Mopani may 2008

Satara camp - August 2008

Have a pair visiting my garden frequently.

Series of photos of an adult feeding an immature.

Nice pics Imax

African Hoopoe Male(Kruger NP)



African Hoopoe Female(Sunninghill)

Nice photo's RJ

What is the difference between a male and female?

Thanks Yolande

The colouration is one way, but not always the most certain!! The male is often more orange/brown in colour, with the female being paler.

The Best way to tell though, is from the patterning on the Primaries & Secondaries(Wing panel)!
The female, has barred secondaries, the male has a large white pied appearance.

If you look at Imax's pictures, The Paler one on the left, Is a female and the Darker on the right is a male. (Look closely and you will notice an obvious difference in the pattern of the wing as well)

Thanks RJ - seems a bit difficult to ID them apart.

Fantastic pics RJ, and interesting in terms of identifying males and females.

Justin,

this is quite interesting. when i took these photos there were three Hoepoo's, two pale and one dark. Are you then saying that it is the male feeding the young one?

the dark one and other pale one kept a good distance apart and each time they came close had a huge fight! Unfortunatly the photos of that is blurred