lynpy Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 HiI saw an amazing bird last week in our garden and my husband saw it today but we have no idea what it is. We've looked in our bird book but it's not there, so I hope someone maybe able to give me an idea what it is. It was much bigger than a blackbird, the body was beige/sand and white stripes and it had a huge plume on its head like a mohican! And it had a very long beak - much longer than a woodpecker.Please let me now if you have any ideas so that I can do some more research.ThanksLynpyp.s. we are in the vendee if that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suze01 Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 Sounds like it could be a Hoopoe - never seen one myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 Sounds like a hoopoe - check it out on Google. We are visited by onenow and again and they are certainly stunning. Pat. ps crossed messageswith you Susie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynpy Posted May 21, 2006 Author Share Posted May 21, 2006 Thanks for your replies - Yes it must be a Hoopoe! I've just checked out several photos and if it's not one of those then it's certainly something that looks like one! Thanks very much - it would have taken me ages to go through the A-Z on the RSPB site! I think I'll keep my camera on hand in case I see it again!Lynpy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 Lynpy, I wasn't as quick as you to realize it was a hoopoe [:$] [Www]http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/665320/ShowPost.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 Yes that is what it is. I saw one in the Medoc last month. Bizarre looking bird. I called out all the children from bed just to see it. A great sight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcazar Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 Not that rare, really. They apparently eat lizards.There was a small colony near us, at the Chateau de Cromiere, in between Cussac and St Mathieu in 87, last year. Over a period of 4 days, French drivers killed 5 on the road there. What a shame. Not seen any this year yet.Alcazar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren, Vicky and Amelia Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 We live in the Lot et Garonne, we are very lucky to have a family of hoopoes living in our garden, they are so pretty if not a little noisy at 6 in the morning. They seem a little tamer than other wild birds too.I love them and are so happy they have chosen our garden to have their babies again this year. Yippe for the hoopoe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWalkingDude Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 We have a pair in our garden and when I first saw them I thought they were woodpeckers... They look like a caricature of a woodpecker.... They leave little holes in the garden from where they extract crickets.Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 An ancien garde fédéral said they make their nests with dog muck (did you know that Chrispy?). I'm surprised we don't have an invasion of hoopoes ! [geek] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 He's winding you up Christine, can you imagine the smell. Still it would make finding their nest site easier, follow the hum.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Ah ha, rather interesting, maybe this is why he said it.After the young have left the nest it often has a strong nauseating smell because the f e c e s are not removed by the parents.Not quite dogs pooh, but...ChrispyIt really comes to something when a word like f e c e s has to be spaced out to be accepted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 But f e c e s dried out in the sun doesn't smell, maybe that's what they use. I'll have to check it out with the garde. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Try this Christine:"Breeding: Hoopoes are monogamous and nest in holes in trees, walls, cliffs, termite mounds, flat ground, and crevices between rocks. Little nest material is used, and the nest cavity is often fetid. A nest site may be used for several years. The male selects the nest site and establishes territory. Eggs are produced at a rate of one per day. Clutch size is five to eight. The incubation period is 15–18 days, only the female incubates, and hatching is asynchronous. The nestling period is 25–32 days. Young start self-feeding after six days, thereafter remaining with the parents for some weeks. Hoopoes are normally single-brooded. Nestlings defend themselves by hissing, jabbing with the bill, producing an evil-smelling secretion from uropygial gland and spraying f e c e s".Sort of says it all really, Chrispy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-cat Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 What little charmers, they sound!! [+o(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 It looks as if the old garde is right Chrispy :"All nests of hoopoes seem to be evil smelling affairs. There is little or no possibility of the parents arranging for sanitation, which the majority of other birds see to most carefully; the consequence is that hardly any fresh air enters, and the atmosphere soon becomes foetid and most disagreeable. Incubation takes about twenty days as far as I can gather, and the nestlings remain in their dark cavern for at least that time, if not a month.The probable case for the foul-smelling nests, which may be noticed when opened up in this region, is from a curious habit these birds have, in Europe, of carrying the excrement of animals to the nest to form a lining; it seems almost certain that this habit is copied by our local race, and it is chiefly that, and the general moisture of the nest below ground level, that is the cause of the unpleasant odours. I have noticed much bird-lime in any old nest that I have inspected."Here's the site : http://www.portstjohns.com/vicfalls/sub/hoopoe/habits.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 It looks as if the old garde is right Chrispy :Interesting Christine! I can't say that I've ever heard this mentioned but I will make a call this evening to someone who will definitely know the answer. If that is the case, they are not doing a very good job clearing up my garden.Chris (I don't know if I like this Crispy, I keep thinking of bacon) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Well, you learn something new each day, it seems that the hoopoe will indeed use animal excrement, not dogs mind you, but cow dung and horse manure for example. I have never got close to a Hoopoes nest, but I have just been informed that it is not a pleasant place.Such a pretty bird as well, but not big on hygiene and the kids don't behave too well either.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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