The green wood hoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus) is a large, up to 44 cm (17 in) long tropical bird native to Africa. It is a member of the family Phoeniculidae, the wood hoopoes, and was formerly known as the red-billed wood hoopoe.
In 1784 the English illustrator John Frederick Miller included a hand-coloured plate of the green wood hoopoe in his Icones animalium et plantarum. He coined the binomial namePromerops purpureus and mistakenly specified the type locality as eastern India.[2] The green wood hoopoe is now one of five species placed in the genusPhoeniculus that was introduced in 1821 by the Polish zoologist Feliks Paweł Jarocki.[3]
This abundant species is a 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, but immatures have a black bill.
It advertises its presence with its loud kuk-uk-uk-uk-uk call and other vocalisations.
Behaviour and ecologyedit
Food and foragingedit
The green wood hoopoe is an insect-eating species. It feeds mainly on the ground, at termite mounds, or on tree trunks, and forms flocks outside the breeding season. Its specialised claws enable it to cling easily to the underside of branches while closely inspecting the bark for insects.
Breedingedit
The green wood hoopoe is a cooperative breeder and common resident in the forests, woodlands and suburban gardens of most of sub-Saharan Africa. It is found in groups of up to a dozen or so birds with only one breeding pair. The breeding female lays two to four blue eggs in a natural tree hole or old barbet nest and incubates them for about 18 days. On hatching, she and the nestlings are fed by the rest of the group, even after they have fledged and left the nest hole. The group is fearless in defence of the nestlings against intruders. This species is parasitised by the greater and lesser honeyguide.[7]
Statusedit
Widespread and common throughout its large range, the green wood hoopoe is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Galleryedit
Chattering family group
Chattering and displaying
In flight
Feeding at aloe flowers in winter
Immature fledgling with black bill peeking from old barbet hole
^BirdLife International (2016). "Phoeniculus purpureus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22682667A92955567. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22682667A92955567.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
^Miller, John Frederick (1784). Icones animalium et plantarum. Various subjects of Natural History, wherein are delineated Birds, Animals and many curious Plants, &c (in Latin). Vol. 1. London. Part 9, Plate 52. The work was published in 10 parts with 6 plates in each part. See: Sherborn, C.D.; Iredale, T. (1921). "J. F. Miller's Icones". Ibis. 11th series. 3 (2): 302–309. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1921.tb00801.x.
^ abGill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (January 2022). "Mousebirds, Cuckoo Roller, trogons, hoopoes, hornbills". IOC World Bird List Version 12.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
^Ligon, J.D. (2001). "Family Phoeniculidae (Woodhoopoes)". In del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 6: Mousebirds to Hornbills. Barcelona, Spain: Lynx Edicions. pp. 412–435 [429]. ISBN978-84-87334-30-6.
^Cooper, M.I.; Cunningham, M.; Cherry, M.I. (2001). "Taxonomic status of the Namibian violet woodhoopoe Phoeniculus damarensis as determined by mitochondrial DNA". Ibis. 143 (3): 572–579. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.2001.tb04884.x.
^Cunningham, Michael; Cherry, Michael I. (2005). "Seeing the woodhoopoe for the trees: a response to Simmons et al. (2005)". Ibis. 147 (1): 225–227. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919x.2005.00397.x.
Redbilled woodhoopoe – Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds.
April 18, 2024
green, wood, hoopoe, green, wood, hoopoe, phoeniculus, purpureus, large, long, tropical, bird, native, africa, member, family, phoeniculidae, wood, hoopoes, formerly, known, billed, wood, hoopoe, green, wood, hoopoe, mapungubwe, national, park, limpopo, south,. The green wood hoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus is a large up to 44 cm 17 in long tropical bird native to Africa It is a member of the family Phoeniculidae the wood hoopoes and was formerly known as the red billed wood hoopoe Green wood hoopoe Green wood hoopoe at Mapungubwe National Park Limpopo South AfricaP p angolensis in the Matetsi safari area of western Zimbabwe source source Chattering calls of P p niloticus in the Mtembur area of western Kenya Conservation status Least Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Aves Order Bucerotiformes Family Phoeniculidae Genus Phoeniculus Species P purpureus Binomial name Phoeniculus purpureus J F Miller 1784 Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 Behaviour and ecology 3 1 Food and foraging 3 2 Breeding 4 Status 5 Gallery 6 References 7 External linksTaxonomy editIn 1784 the English illustrator John Frederick Miller included a hand coloured plate of the green wood hoopoe in his Icones animalium et plantarum He coined the binomial name Promerops purpureus and mistakenly specified the type locality as eastern India 2 The green wood hoopoe is now one of five species placed in the genus Phoeniculus that was introduced in 1821 by the Polish zoologist Feliks Pawel Jarocki 3 Six subspecies are recognised 3 P p senegalensis Vieillot 1822 south Senegal to south Ghana P p guineensis Reichenow 1902 north Senegal and Gambia to Chad and Central African Republic P p niloticus Neumann 1903 Sudan to west Ethiopia and northeast DR Congo P p marwitzi Reichenow 1906 east Uganda and Kenya to east South Africa P p angolensis Reichenow 1902 Angola and west Zambia to northeast Namibia and north Botswana P p purpureus Miller JF 1784 central southwest South Africa The green wood hoopoe is sometimes considered as conspecific with the black billed wood hoopoe Phoeniculus somaliensis and the violet wood hoopoe Phoeniculus damarensis 4 5 6 Description editThis abundant species is a 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 but immatures have a black bill It advertises its presence with its loud kuk uk uk uk uk call and other vocalisations Behaviour and ecology editFood and foraging edit The green wood hoopoe is an insect eating species It feeds mainly on the ground at termite mounds or on tree trunks and forms flocks outside the breeding season Its specialised claws enable it to cling easily to the underside of branches while closely inspecting the bark for insects Breeding edit The green wood hoopoe is a cooperative breeder and common resident in the forests woodlands and suburban gardens of most of sub Saharan Africa It is found in groups of up to a dozen or so birds with only one breeding pair The breeding female lays two to four blue eggs in a natural tree hole or old barbet nest and incubates them for about 18 days On hatching she and the nestlings are fed by the rest of the group even after they have fledged and left the nest hole The group is fearless in defence of the nestlings against intruders This species is parasitised by the greater and lesser honeyguide 7 Status editWidespread and common throughout its large range the green wood hoopoe is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Gallery edit nbsp Chattering family group nbsp Chattering and displaying nbsp In flight nbsp Feeding at aloe flowers in winter nbsp Immature fledgling with black bill peeking from old barbet hole nbsp P p niloticus at Lake Baringo KenyaReferences edit BirdLife International 2016 Phoeniculus purpureus IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T22682667A92955567 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 3 RLTS T22682667A92955567 en Retrieved 13 November 2021 Miller John Frederick 1784 Icones animalium et plantarum Various subjects of Natural History wherein are delineated Birds Animals and many curious Plants amp c in Latin Vol 1 London Part 9 Plate 52 The work was published in 10 parts with 6 plates in each part See Sherborn C D Iredale T 1921 J F Miller s Icones Ibis 11th series 3 2 302 309 doi 10 1111 j 1474 919X 1921 tb00801 x a b Gill Frank Donsker David Rasmussen Pamela eds January 2022 Mousebirds Cuckoo Roller trogons hoopoes hornbills IOC World Bird List Version 12 2 International Ornithologists Union Retrieved 10 June 2022 Ligon J D 2001 Family Phoeniculidae Woodhoopoes In del Hoyo J Elliott A Sargatal J eds Handbook of the Birds of the World Vol 6 Mousebirds to Hornbills Barcelona Spain Lynx Edicions pp 412 435 429 ISBN 978 84 87334 30 6 Cooper M I Cunningham M Cherry M I 2001 Taxonomic status of the Namibian violet woodhoopoe Phoeniculus damarensis as determined by mitochondrial DNA Ibis 143 3 572 579 doi 10 1111 j 1474 919X 2001 tb04884 x Cunningham Michael Cherry Michael I 2005 Seeing the woodhoopoe for the trees a response to Simmons et al 2005 Ibis 147 1 225 227 doi 10 1111 j 1474 919x 2005 00397 x Roberts Bird Guide 2007 Birds of The Gambia by Barlow Wacher and Disley ISBN 1 873403 32 1External links editBirdLife Species Factsheet Redbilled woodhoopoe Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds Photograph of a Green Woodhoopoe Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Green wood hoopoe amp oldid 1210803237, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
