05/15/2023 14:24

Region. The year is already late and spring is in full swing. It also means: it’s bird season! For example, we are currently talking a lot about the stork. Baby storks are currently popping their heads out of the nest in our area. But completely put off by the stork hype, another rare guest has now been spotted in our area. With his battle paint, his proudly erect crest and his almost hummingbird-like beak, he caused question marks in a garden in Wolfenbüttel. What is this?

A reader contacted the editors and showed a video of the bird. One day he simply arrived in his garden and calmly walked around the meadow and the bed. It is not an everyday sight, as its appearance differs greatly from local bird species.

regionalHeute.de asked around. NABU explained who this rare guest is. The Wolfenbüttel district association was extremely pleased with the picture material made available, because: This bird is rarely found in our area – the reason it is shown now, however, makes you sit up and notice it.

Here you can see the special guest in the video:

But what kind of bird is it?

As NABU explains, the seeing bird is an epops Upupa – also known as a hoopoe. It is a minor celebrity, having been voted bird of the year in 1976 and 2022. The hoopoe belongs to the hoopoe family and the order Hornbills and hops. It has a long, thin, curved bill and an erect feathery crest. Its plumage is light orange-brown, while the wings and tail are banded in contrasting black and white.

The hoopoe makes courtship calls, which usually consist of three-syllable sounds. When excited, it croaks in a stretched and harsh manner. Its diet consists mainly of crickets (moles), beetles, larvae and larger caterpillars. It also eats spiders, woodlice, centipedes and centipedes, earthworms and snails. Occasionally, small vertebrates such as lizards are also on its menu.

rare bird

But as nice as it is to see the bird here, it suggests that the environment is changing. The hoopoe is severely affected by climate variability and needed our protection, especially in the face of climate change. Here in Germany he is a rare guest and there are relatively few sightings. As NABU reports: “Perhaps bad weather caused a build-up of trains or low vegetation made it easier to find or eat food.”

The hoopoe prefers open landscapes with a hot, dry climate and short vegetation as habitat for ground hunting. It requires appropriate breeding cavities in older trees. Nodes, rock caves, roofs or burrows serve as nesting sites. Breeding usually takes place in early May and the female lays five to eight eggs. The young hatch after about 15 days and nest for about eight days before leaving the nest. The second broods can also take place until the beginning of July.

The hoopoe is found in various regions, including southwestern Europe, northwestern Africa, the Near East, Arabia, Sri Lanka, Sumatra, the Baltic States and Lake Baikal . Most migratory birds winter south of the Sahara or in India.

He is in danger

Hoopoe populations vary by region. There are at least 1.3 million breeding pairs in Europe, with a concentration in Mediterranean countries such as Spain, Portugal and Turkey, and Russia. In central Europe the population has fallen to a few thousand birds and in Germany about 800-950 pairs breed. Targeted protection measures have led to a positive development of certain populations.

The hoopoe is threatened by various factors. Apart from climatic changes such as wet and cool weather, it is mainly threatened by the intensification of agriculture and the loss of widely used meadows and pastures, which are converted into arable land. Suitable breeding cavities are regularly lost through the removal of old fruit trees and thickets, as well as the renovation of older buildings such as barns and stables, NABU explains.

Here’s how you can protect the hoopoe

In order to protect the hoopoe, it is important to preserve long-term remnant orchards and groves with breeding cavities. Nesting aids in suitable locations are readily accepted and have already had a positive impact on local populations, according to NABU.

The protection of the hoopoe is of great importance because it is not only a charismatic bird but also serves as an indicator of the diversity and health of habitats and ecosystems. Targeted actions and habitat protection can help ensure the hoopoe’s survival and population recovery.

In order to get an overview of the current population, it is helpful if sightings are reported to NABU: “We look forward to hearing about local sightings at [email protected].”

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