Diet and Foraging

The Eurasian Hoopoe most often hunts by walking across bare or sparsely vegetated ground, hunting by probing the underlying soft substrate (often sandy) with its long bill, in search of subsurface prey. Favored food items include Orthoptera (crickets, grasshoppers, and their relatives), Coleoptera (beetles, adults and larvae), and Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies, mostly larvae and pupae).

Microhabitat for Foraging

The Eurasian Hoopoe usually forages alone or in pairs by walking and probing frequently in areas of soft earth with low vegetation or bare ground; lawns, mowed meadows, and sandy tracks are particularly favored (21 Skead, C. J. (1950). A study of the African Hoopoe. Ibis 92:434–463. Close , 121 Löhrl, H. (1977). Zum Brutverhalten des Wiedehopfes Upupa epops. Die Vogelwelt 98(2):41–58. Close , 1 Cramp, S., Editor (1985). The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume 4. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close , 6 Maclean, G. L. (1985). Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa. Fifth edition. Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town, South Africa. Close , 8 Kristin, A. (2001). Family Upupidae (Hoopoes). In Handbook of the Birds of the World, Volume 6 (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, and J. Sargatalm, Editors), Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. pp. 396–411. Close , 122 Barbaro, L., L. Couzi, V. Bretagnolle, J. Nezan, and F. Vetillard (2008). Multi-scale habitat selection and foraging ecology of the Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) in pine plantations. Biodiversity and Conservation 17:1073–1087. Close , 123 Podletnik, M., and D. Denac (2015). Selection of foraging habitat and diet of the Hoopoe Upupa epops in the mosaic-like cultural landscape of Goričko (NE Slovenia). Acrocephalus 36:109–132. Close ). During the breeding season in the maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) plantations of southwestern France, birds foraged at sites that were, on average, 25.7% bare ground and 9.9% litter or woody debris, with the mean height of vegetation in vegetated portions being 7.4 cm ± 7.1 SD (122 Barbaro, L., L. Couzi, V. Bretagnolle, J. Nezan, and F. Vetillard (2008). Multi-scale habitat selection and foraging ecology of the Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) in pine plantations. Biodiversity and Conservation 17:1073–1087. Close ).

Food Capture and Consumption

While probing, the bill is opened and closed frequently after it is inserted into the ground, a method that is called "gaping"; their musculature is adapted for this behavior, with the abductors (the muscles that open the bill) being much stronger than the adductors, which close the bill (124 Rawal, U. M. (1968). Anatomy of the feeding aparatus of Hoopoe – Upupa epops Linnaeus. Proceedings of the Indian Academy of Sciences 68:79–90. Close ).

While searching the head is sometimes held to one side or the other, which has been interpreted as listening for prey (125 Bussmann, J. (1950). Zur Brutbiologie des Wiedehopfes. Der Ornithologische Beobachter 47:141–151. Close , 126 Münch, H. (1952). Der Wiedehopf. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft Geest & Portig K.G., Leipzig, Germany. Close ), but may actually indicate a visual search as is true for the American Robin (Turdus migratorius) (127 Vanderhoff, N., P. Pyle, M. A. Patten, R. Sallabanks, and F. C. James (2020). American Robin (Turdus migratorius), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (P. G. Rodewald, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. Close ). Indeed, in the case of mole crickets (Gryllotalpa sp.) and cockchafers (Melolontha sp.), visual cues probably determine where the bird probes (1 Cramp, S., Editor (1985). The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume 4. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). It will sometimes forage more actively and may, at such times, run for 1–2 m and then probe rapidly and repeatedly at one spot (5 Glutz von Blotzheim, U. N., and K. M. Bauer (1980). Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas. Band 9 Columbiformes-Piciformes. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Wiesbaden, Germany. Close ). It will also, at times, hammer away at the ground, akin to a woodpecker pounding a tree, and thus excavate a "large" hole (128 Greaves, R. H. (1936). Notes on Egyptian Hoopoes and their nests. Oologists' Record 16:37–40. Close , 21 Skead, C. J. (1950). A study of the African Hoopoe. Ibis 92:434–463. Close , 129 Panov, E. N. (1973). Ptitsy yuzhnogo Primor’ya (fauna, biologiya i povedenie). [The Birds of South Ussuriland (Fauna, Biology, Behaviour)]. Nauka, Novosibirsk. (In Russian with English summary.). Close ). The Eurasian Hoopoe will occasionally seek food beneath stones, leaves, dried cow patties and the like, but such objects are not picked up by the bill and tossed aside; rather, they are flipped over or out of the way with a sideways or upwards flick of the bill (21 Skead, C. J. (1950). A study of the African Hoopoe. Ibis 92:434–463. Close ). Relatively slow-flying insects, such as termites (Isoptera) and adult cockchafers, are sometimes caught in the air (21 Skead, C. J. (1950). A study of the African Hoopoe. Ibis 92:434–463. Close , 126 Münch, H. (1952). Der Wiedehopf. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft Geest & Portig K.G., Leipzig, Germany. Close , 130 Hirschfeld, H., and K. Hirschfeld (1973). Zur Brut- und Ernährungsbiologie des Wiedehopfes, Upupa epops L., unter Berücksichtigung seiner Verhaltensweisen. Beiträge zur Vogelkunde 19(2–3):81–152. Close ). Rarely, an individual will use its bill to pry off tree bark or forage within lichen (21 Skead, C. J. (1950). A study of the African Hoopoe. Ibis 92:434–463. Close ).

Birds usually hammer larger prey items into submission with their bill or beat such prey against a hard surface, with some individuals having a preferred rock or log for such dispatches (125 Bussmann, J. (1950). Zur Brutbiologie des Wiedehopfes. Der Ornithologische Beobachter 47:141–151. Close , 1 Cramp, S., Editor (1985). The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume 4. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Reptiles are sometimes killed by repeated blows to the head that puncture the skull (130 Hirschfeld, H., and K. Hirschfeld (1973). Zur Brut- und Ernährungsbiologie des Wiedehopfes, Upupa epops L., unter Berücksichtigung seiner Verhaltensweisen. Beiträge zur Vogelkunde 19(2–3):81–152. Close ). A sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) was seen to be beaten against the ground until its tail was released, at which time, the tail was tossed into the air and swallowed, after which the Eurasian Hoopoe flew off with the remainder of the lizard (1 Cramp, S., Editor (1985). The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume 4. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). The elytra, wings, and legs of insects are typically removed prior to consumption (125 Bussmann, J. (1950). Zur Brutbiologie des Wiedehopfes. Der Ornithologische Beobachter 47:141–151. Close , 126 Münch, H. (1952). Der Wiedehopf. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft Geest & Portig K.G., Leipzig, Germany. Close , 130 Hirschfeld, H., and K. Hirschfeld (1973). Zur Brut- und Ernährungsbiologie des Wiedehopfes, Upupa epops L., unter Berücksichtigung seiner Verhaltensweisen. Beiträge zur Vogelkunde 19(2–3):81–152. Close , 121 Löhrl, H. (1977). Zum Brutverhalten des Wiedehopfes Upupa epops. Die Vogelwelt 98(2):41–58. Close ). Moth cocoons are beaten against the ground until they break open, and then the inner pupae are removed and eaten (131 Stefanescu, C. (1997). Hoopoes Upupa epops preying on pine processionary moth Thaumetopoea pityocampa pupae, with a note on kleptoparasitism by Woodchat Shrikes Lanius senator. Butlletí del Grup Catalá d'Anellament 14:51–54. Close ). Especially large morsels may be smashed into multiple pieces before being consumed (21 Skead, C. J. (1950). A study of the African Hoopoe. Ibis 92:434–463. Close ). After it is properly subdued and prepared, prey is held at the tip of the bill and then tossed into the air with an upward flick of the bill and then caught by the gaping mouth (21 Skead, C. J. (1950). A study of the African Hoopoe. Ibis 92:434–463. Close , 130 Hirschfeld, H., and K. Hirschfeld (1973). Zur Brut- und Ernährungsbiologie des Wiedehopfes, Upupa epops L., unter Berücksichtigung seiner Verhaltensweisen. Beiträge zur Vogelkunde 19(2–3):81–152. Close , 5 Glutz von Blotzheim, U. N., and K. M. Bauer (1980). Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas. Band 9 Columbiformes-Piciformes. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Wiesbaden, Germany. Close ).

Major Food Items

Across its range, the Eurasian Hoopoe feeds mostly on Orthoptera (crickets, grasshoppers, and their relatives), Coleoptera (beetles, adults and larvae), and Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies, mostly larvae and pupae; 1 Cramp, S., Editor (1985). The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume 4. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close , 77 Fournier, J., and R. Arlettaz (2001). Food provision to nestlings in the Hoopoe Upupa epops: implications for the conservation of a small endangered population in the Swiss Alps. Ibis 143(1):2–10. Close , 132 Schaad, M. (2002). Influence of weather conditions on chick provisioning activity in the Hoopoe (Upupa e. epops). Ph.D. thesis, University of Bern, Bern, Germany. Close , 123 Podletnik, M., and D. Denac (2015). Selection of foraging habitat and diet of the Hoopoe Upupa epops in the mosaic-like cultural landscape of Goričko (NE Slovenia). Acrocephalus 36:109–132. Close ). More specifically, in much of Europe (and Israel), the European mole cricket (Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa), the common cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha), and the chestnut cockchafer (Melolontha hipposcastani) are the most important prey items (130 Hirschfeld, H., and K. Hirschfeld (1973). Zur Brut- und Ernährungsbiologie des Wiedehopfes, Upupa epops L., unter Berücksichtigung seiner Verhaltensweisen. Beiträge zur Vogelkunde 19(2–3):81–152. Close , 1 Cramp, S., Editor (1985). The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume 4. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close , 77 Fournier, J., and R. Arlettaz (2001). Food provision to nestlings in the Hoopoe Upupa epops: implications for the conservation of a small endangered population in the Swiss Alps. Ibis 143(1):2–10. Close , 132 Schaad, M. (2002). Influence of weather conditions on chick provisioning activity in the Hoopoe (Upupa e. epops). Ph.D. thesis, University of Bern, Bern, Germany. Close , 133 Charter, M., Y. Leshem, A. Ezer, S. Aviel, and V. Chikatunov (2008). The first record of use of a nest box by Hoopoe Upupa epops in Israel. Acrocephalus 29:105−107. Close , 134 Arlettaz, R., M. Schaad, T. S. Reichlin, and M. Schaub (2010). Impact of weather and climate variation on Hoopoe reproductive ecology and population growth. Journal of Ornithology 151(4):889–899. Close , 135 Schaub, M., N. Martinez, A. Tagmann-Ioset, N. Weisshaupt, M. L. Maurer, T. S. Reichlin, F. Abadi, N. Zbinden, L. Jenni, and R. Arlettaz (2010) Patches of bare ground as a staple commodity for declining insectivorous farmland birds. PLoS ONE 5(10):e13115. Close , 123 Podletnik, M., and D. Denac (2015). Selection of foraging habitat and diet of the Hoopoe Upupa epops in the mosaic-like cultural landscape of Goričko (NE Slovenia). Acrocephalus 36:109–132. Close ), but in parts of Italy, Spain, and southwestern France, the pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) is the predominant prey item (131 Stefanescu, C. (1997). Hoopoes Upupa epops preying on pine processionary moth Thaumetopoea pityocampa pupae, with a note on kleptoparasitism by Woodchat Shrikes Lanius senator. Butlletí del Grup Catalá d'Anellament 14:51–54. Close , 122 Barbaro, L., L. Couzi, V. Bretagnolle, J. Nezan, and F. Vetillard (2008). Multi-scale habitat selection and foraging ecology of the Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) in pine plantations. Biodiversity and Conservation 17:1073–1087. Close ). In Africa, the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria), when swarming, can play a large role in the diet (136 Symens, P. (1990). Effects of the mass migration of desert locusts Schistocerca gregaria on birds in the Taif area, Saudi Arabia. Sandgrouse 12(1):3–7. Close ).

Otherwise, the diet varies from flies (Diptera) to frogs and toads (Anura), and rarely, fruits and seeds. Less often consumed insects include dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata), grasshoppers and crickets (Gryllidae, Tettigoniidae, Acrididae), cockroaches (Blattidae), shield bugs (Eurygaster sp.), cicadas (Cicadidae), antlion larvae (Myrmeleontidae), earwigs (Dermaptera), adult and pupal ants (Formicidae), and adult and larval flies including crane flies (Tipulidae), blow flies (Calliphoridae), and hoverflies (Syrphidae); non-insect animal food include spiders (Araneae), woodlice (Isopoda), centipedes and millipedes (Myriapoda), earthworms (Lumbricidae), small snails and slugs (Gastropoda), mussels (Unionidae), lizards and snakes (Squamata), frogs and toads (Anura), and bird eggs (126 Münch, H. (1952). Der Wiedehopf. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft Geest & Portig K.G., Leipzig, Germany. Close , 130 Hirschfeld, H., and K. Hirschfeld (1973). Zur Brut- und Ernährungsbiologie des Wiedehopfes, Upupa epops L., unter Berücksichtigung seiner Verhaltensweisen. Beiträge zur Vogelkunde 19(2–3):81–152. Close , 5 Glutz von Blotzheim, U. N., and K. M. Bauer (1980). Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas. Band 9 Columbiformes-Piciformes. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Wiesbaden, Germany. Close , 1 Cramp, S., Editor (1985). The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume 4. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Vertebrate prey can be up to 15 cm long (137 Krištín, A. (1993). K Ekológii a rozšíreniu dudka chochlatého (Upupa epops). Tichodroma 6:175–186. Close ). The only plant food recorded are the fruit of black elderberry (Sambucus nigra), and various parts of cinquefoils (Potentilla sp.) and grass of the genus Poa; sand and stones have also been recorded in stomachs (1 Cramp, S., Editor (1985). The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume 4. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

Quantitive Analysis

In one study from northeastern Slovenia, the European mole cricket (Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa) constituted 35.4% of items and 81.3% of dry biomass fed to chicks, followed by beetle (Scarabaeidae) larvae at 24.6% of items and 8.8% of mass, Lepidoptera larvae at 15.3% of items and 4.9% of mass, the European field cricket (Gryllus campestris) at 2.8% of items and 2.5% of mass, and fly (Diptera) larvae at 13.7% of items and 1.1% of mass (123 Podletnik, M., and D. Denac (2015). Selection of foraging habitat and diet of the Hoopoe Upupa epops in the mosaic-like cultural landscape of Goričko (NE Slovenia). Acrocephalus 36:109–132. Close ). In the Kyffhäuser district of central Germany, 385 food items brought to young during two days in June included 152 larvae, 3 pupae, and 1 adult Lepidtoptera, 63 Scarabaeidae larvae, 2 adult Coleoptera, and 3 Gryllidae (1 Cramp, S., Editor (1985). The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume 4. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

In Valais, Switzerland, 5,601 feedings were observed. By number, 60% of food items were European mole crickets (Gryllotalpa gryllotaIpa), 20% were Lepidoptera larvae, and the rest were largely "unidentified;" 93% of the biomass was mole crickets and 3% was Lepidoptera larvae (132 Schaad, M. (2002). Influence of weather conditions on chick provisioning activity in the Hoopoe (Upupa e. epops). Ph.D. thesis, University of Bern, Bern, Germany. Close ). Another study at the same location found that nestlings were provisioned mainly with the European mole-cricket and Lepidoptera (larvae and pupae), with mole crickets accounting for 26% of items provided and 68% of biomass, and Lepidoptera accounting for 67% of items and 29% of biomass (77 Fournier, J., and R. Arlettaz (2001). Food provision to nestlings in the Hoopoe Upupa epops: implications for the conservation of a small endangered population in the Swiss Alps. Ibis 143(1):2–10. Close ).

The stomachs of 26 adult Eurasian Hoopoe in Hungary, from April–September, were examined and found to contain 81 Carabidae (mostly Harpalus sp.), 26 Scarabaeidae (including 18 adult and 24 larval Melolontha sp.), 2 Silphidae, 11 Elateridae, 4 Curculionidae, 8 unidentified Coleoptera larvae, 65 Lepidoptera larvae, Formicidae (including 150 Formica fusca in one stomach), 5 antlion larvae (Myrmeleon sp.), 3 Gryllotalpa sp., 1 Acrididae, 1 spider (Epeira sp.), and one frog of the genus Rana (1 Cramp, S., Editor (1985). The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume 4. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). The stomachs of 24 adults from Moldova contained 247 items, which included (by number) 17.4% Cerambycidae larvae, 11.3% Scarabaeidae larvae, 7.7% Geometridae, 6.1% Eurygaster sp., 5.7% Noctuidae, 5.3% Myrmeleon formicarius larvae, 5.3% Carabidae, 4.5% Elateridae, 4.0% Gryllotalpa sp., 3.6% other Gryllidae, 0.8% earthworms (Lumbricus sp.), and 0.4% sand lizard (Lacerta agilis; 1 Cramp, S., Editor (1985). The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume 4. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

The stomachs of 17 adults and 8 fledglings from northern Kazakhstan, from May–July, included 51 larvae of Noctuidae and Arctiidae, 25 Coleoptera (mostly Carabidae and Scarabaeidae), 15 Orthoptera (mostly Calliptamus italicus and Locusta sp.), 2 Cicadidae, and 11 small Araneae; two stomachs contained various parts of the grass Poa bulbosa and leaves and flowers of cinquefoils (Potentilla sp.; 1 Cramp, S., Editor (1985). The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume 4. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). In Free State, South Africa, 62 items were found in five stomachs of adults, including (by number) 87.1% larvae (mostly Coleoptera) with a mean length of 20 mm, 8.1% adult Coleoptera with a mean length of 7 mm, 1.6% Orthoptera with a mean length of 35 mm, and 1.6% Dermaptera with a mean length of 15 mm; grit was found twice, with a mean length of 5 mm (138 Kopij, G., D. H. De Swardt, and R. N. Nuttall (2000). Diet of seven coraciiform species (Coraciiformes) in South Africa. Acta Ornithologica 35:207–209. Close ).

Information needed.

Information needed.

Information needed.

Adults and young eject chitinous material as pellets (139 Heinroth, O. and M. Heinroth. (1926). Die Vögel Mitteleuropas. Vol. 1. Berlin: Lichterfelde. Close , 140 Jourdain, F. C. R. (1936). Egyptian Hoopoes and their nests. Oologists' Record 16:59–62. Close ).