Eurasian Hoopoe

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Eurasian Hoopoe in the UK

A scarce passage migrant. As many as 100 can arrive in a good spring, when birds heading for southern Europe overshoot and land in Britain. A smaller number appear in autumn, and one or two have wintered. Breeding is very rare: a pair fledged three young on farmland in Leicestershire in 2023, the first confirmed UK breeding since a pair nested in Wales in 1996. It is a Schedule 1 species, so nesting birds must not be disturbed.

Where and when to see a Eurasian Hoopoe

The south coast of England takes most, from Scilly and Cornwall east to Kent, with others in south Wales and southern Ireland. Spring birds can overshoot much further, as far as Scotland. Peak time is late March to May, with a second, smaller peak in September. Look on mown lawns, golf courses, horse paddocks, dune turf and garden borders. Many are reported first by householders who find one feeding on the lawn.

Habitat, diet and field notes

Habitat: Open ground, orchards, vineyards.
Diet: Insects, larvae from soil.
Field note: Distinctive crown raise.

How to identify a Eurasian Hoopoe

About the size of a Mistle Thrush. Pinkish-buff head and body, with wings and tail boldly barred black and white. The bill is long, thin and curved down. The crest usually lies flat, giving the head a hammer shape, and is fanned for a second on landing or when the bird is alarmed. Flight is slow and floppy on broad, rounded wings, like a huge butterfly. It walks on short grass, probing the soil for grubs, and can be very tame.

Call and song

The song gives the bird its name: a soft, low 'oop-oop-oop', three notes at a time, carrying a long way. Passage birds in Britain are mostly silent, though spring males sometimes sing. Heard something you cannot place? Bird Hear identifies UK birds from a 10 second recording, free in your browser.

Confusion species

• Jay: A Jay in flight also looks pink with black-and-white wings but shows a white rump and a short stout bill, with no crest fan.
• Great Spotted Woodpecker: Great Spotted Woodpecker has barred black-and-white wings too, but its body is black and white with red under the tail and it flies in deep bounds.

Related guide Bird migration in Britain.

Conservation status and Birdedex points

In the Birdedex the Eurasian Hoopoe is a Rare tier bird, worth +8 points when you log one. It is not on the Red or Amber lists in Birds of Conservation Concern 5. It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, so it is an offence to disturb it at or near the nest. We blur the location of every sighting of this species.

Where to see it

Reserves where the Eurasian Hoopoe is on the list:

• Isles of Scilly

Recent UK sightings

Similar birds

• Crested LarkRare · Open dry ground
• Tawny PipitRare · Open ground (rare vagrant)
• Bimaculated LarkLegendary · Open ground (very rare)
• Black-winged PratincoleEpic · Open ground (very rare)
• Common NighthawkLegendary · Open ground (very rare vagrant)
• Demoiselle CraneLegendary · Open ground (very rare)

Eurasian Hoopoe: quick answers

Where can I see a Hoopoe in the UK?

You cannot plan for one, but coastal counties from Cornwall to Kent give the best odds in spring. Short grass is the key habitat. Follow the bird news services in April and May, as birds often stay on the same lawn or paddock for several days.

What does a Hoopoe eat?

Large insects and their larvae, pulled from soil and short turf with the long bill. Favourite prey includes beetle grubs, crickets and leatherjackets. It also takes spiders and the odd small lizard on the Continent.

Is the Hoopoe rare in the UK?

It is scarce but annual. Numbers vary from year to year with spring weather: warm southerly winds in April bring the most. It is too regular to count as a national rarity, yet most British birders see only a handful in a lifetime.

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