Hoopoe

    Upupa epops

Castilian: Abubilla

Catalan: Puput

Gallego: Bubela

Euskera: Argi-oilarra

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Coraciiformes

Family: Upupidae

Migratory status: Permanent resident

CONSERVATION STATUS:

On the National List of Threatened Species, it appears in the “Of Special Interest” category. In the 2004 edition of the Red Book of Spanish Birds (Libro Rojo de las Aves de España) it is listed as “Not Evaluated”.

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THREATS

Bad forest and agricultural management policies due to the intensification in farming methods have causes a significant reduction in the number of natrual hollows that the species uses to nest; also, the use of insecticides reduces its food supply.

Length / size: 27 cm / 44-48 cm

Identification: Bird with an unmistakeable appearance whose front half of its body is ochre-coloured with white and black stripes. Its tail is wide and black, and is crossed by a white band. Its bill is long and slightly curved. It has an eye-catching ochre-coloured crest with black tips that spreads out when perched, during courtship or when the bird is troubled. In flight its white and black wings, wide and rounded, can be observed.

Song: It makes a characteristic "oop-poo-poo" sound that is deep and far-reaching.

Diet: It feeds on insect larvae and pupae, which it captures by probing in the ground or under dead leaves with its bill.

Reproduction: It begins in mid-May with the search for a nesting site. When the pair find the appropriate place, such as tree hollows, walls or abandoned buildings, they clean it and build a bed of leaves and grass. The female is responsible for incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks with prey that the male brings in.

HABITAT

It occupies open wooded areas, like grasslands with oaks, cork oaks, Pyrenees oaks, ashes, etc., as long as they are not above an elevation of 1,000 metres.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: It is distributed throughout practically the entire peninsula, and the Balearic and Canary Islands. And its breeding has also been confirmed in Melilla.

In Castile and León:

Movements and migrations: It is distributed throughout the entire community, except in the Cantabrian coast and northern Soria, where it is less common.

POPULATION

In Spain: There is an estimated population of 500000-700000 breeding pairs.

In Castile and León: There is an estimated population of more than 15000 breeding pairs.