We regularly hear Eurasian Hoopoes (Poupas in Portuguese) on walks throughout the Algarve but regular readers will know I have struggled to photograph them. In fact I was beginning to consider them my bête noire. However as you can see from this post my luck completely changed on a lovely stroll in Ludo and Lagoa de São Lourenço. A pair were happily hunting for grubs right in front of us. They were even joined at one point by a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.
My perfect shot will be of a Hoopoe looking at the camera with their glorious crest fully erect. So Poupa perfection has yet to be achieved but I am getting closer!
Their scientific name is Upupa Epops, and like their English and Portuguese names, they are onomatopoeic, ie their name imitates the sound the bird makes. Have a listen to this excellent Xeno-Canto recording by Peter Boesman.
The Hoopoe diet consists mainly of insects such as crickets, locusts, beetles, earwigs, and ants. They will occasionally also eat berries and even small reptiles. Apparently though they have a preferred dinner size of around 20–30 millimetres. Looks like this one may have found just that!
Oops forgot to link this to my other blog! I was ‘tickled pink’.
Your patience paid off because the photos are clear and fun – with so much activity and color – and like the others here / I enjoyed the sound track I course
Thank you so very much. We were so lucky to be there right at that moment and no other walkers around.
Ahhh very much so –
A wonderful bird Becky. Thanks for adding the sound track as well 🙂
So glad you like. Had to include the sound as it follows me everywhere on some walks. Am sure up until I took these shots they were laughing at my frustration!!!
I have had the same trying to get that allusive photo.
Did your partner though echo the noise to make it even more frustrating?!!!!!
Yes at times. She is still getting over the illness. I had to tend to her needs over the past few days, hence I am behind on my blog reading.
Oh no, you poor things. Sending hugs to her too xxxx
Hugs received and will be passed on when I see her next. You are a good person Becky xxx
Great photos Becky, and what a cutie.
Thank you so much Clare.
Your last image is pretty close to perfect! He was posing just for you, and showing off his lunch. 🙂
Thank you so much 😀 you are right I just want the impossible!!
Fabulous Upupa epops pics, Becky. I’d comment on the blog but I’ve forgotten my log-in, through disuse. Oh dear. Hope to see you over here (Algarve) before too long. Thanks to Robert for the lovely books that arrived safely at my mum’s home some weeks ago. I’m spending a lot of time in England at the moment. My mum is doing OK, but needs lots of family help to keep going.
Hope all’s well with you both.
Mari xxx
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Hee hee! Easy to do, I struggle with passwords daily.
I will pass on my thanks, and so glad they have arrived but sorry to hear about your Mum :-(. Sending hugs to you both, and if you ever need a break we’d love you to stay. We are here until 25th October, at which point Christian might find us on your doorstep! Take care xxx
Ah, it posted here after all! The great mysteries. See you soon. xx
Great images, Becky! What a cute Upupa!
Oh thank you so much 😁
😊😊
So, you’ve done it then. Done, dusted, and moved on – to what. What is the next ‘unphotographable’ bird on your list? Congrats on this one, it’s perfect.
Oh thank you so very much. I would like to get the crest up, but I was happy with these 😀
Next up are the bee eaters in flight!!
Aren’t they fabulous? I only know them from Africa and never got a photo so I am most envious of all your lovely images.
Thank you. We were so fortunate being in the right place at the right time! Up until now it’s been sooooooo frustrating.
Beautiful! Xx
Thank you so much.
What gorgeously cute little birds 🙂 You might not think that last shot is ‘perfect’ but it’s a brilliant close-up and gets my vote 🙂
Oh thank you so very much. If only his crest had been fully up!!!