EURASIAN HOOPOE

Upupa epops

English: Eurasian Hoopoe.
German: Poupa.
French: Huppe fasciée.

Clasificación/Clasification

Order: Bucerotiformes.
Family: Upupidae.

Longitud/Length

27 cm.

Envergadura/Wingspan

44-48 cm.

Aves relacionadas/Similar species

It is not possible to confuse the Eurasian Hoopoe with any other species in the Iberian Peninsula.

Sexo/Sexing

Adult males have throat and chest feathers of intense cinnamon-orange color.

Adult females have these same throat and chest feathers slightly lighter and with a slightly clearer pink tint.

Edad/Ageing

It is possible to recognize 3 different ages:

1st year juvenile specimen: individuals that resemble an adult female, but with new flight feathers and no traces of moult. The outermost tail feather (R5) has a rounded tip.

2nd year specimen: they have un-molted flight feathers (juvenile plumage) very worn. In case of having started the moult, they may show a moult limit between the tertials and the inner secondaries. If the rectrices have not been changed, they will show a great wear.

Adult specimen: lack of moult limit in the wing feathers, with a completely new appearance. R5 (outermost tail feather) has a square tip.

Muda/Moult

Eurasian Hoopoe perform a postnuptial complete moult process in which they change the body feathers and occasionally could change some flight feathers and tail, but already in the breeding areas between the months of July and August. This process usually ends in the wintering areas. On the other hand, the postjuvenile moult is a partial process in which only body feathers are included, extending in some specimens to all or most of the rectrices, tertials and inner secondaries. As a general rule, this process is carried out in wintering areas. Mainly adult specimens, although sometimes some juveniles, have a prenuptial moult that includes only head and neck feathers.

Configuración del plumaje/Plumage configuration

Primaries: 10 per wing.
Secundaries: 9 per wing.
Rectrices: 10.

Observaciones/Remarks

Link: http://blascozumeta.com/

Medidas/Measures

Biometría/Biometrics

juvenile specimen: Beak tip to pupil center: 63mm Tarsus: 22mm

1st year juvenile specimen

1.- Right wing primaries. 2.- Primaries. 3.- Details of the tip of the external primaries. 4.- Details of the outer vane of the primaries. 5.- Details of P2, P3, and P4. 6.- Details of P10. 7.- Right wing secondaries and tertials. 8.- Right wing secondaries and tertials. 9.- Details of the outer vane of the secondaries. 10.- Details of the guns of the secondaries and tertials. 11.- Details of the tip of S5, S6, and S7. 12.- Right wing tertials. 13.- Primaries, secondaries, and tertials of the right wing. 14.- Primaries, secondaries, and tertials of the right wing. 15.- Primaries, secondaries and tertials. Primary coverts and secondary coverts. 16.- Primaries, secondaries, and tertials. Primary coverts and greater coverts + median coverts. 17.- Primaries, secondaries, tertials. Primary coverts and secondary coverts (G, M, and P). Alulas. 18.- Details of the primary coverts. 19.- Details of the secondary coverts. 20.- Details of the greater coverts and median coverts. 21.- Primary coverts. 22.- Greater coverts. 23.- Alulas. 24.- Rectrices. 25.- Rectrices. 26.- Details of the rectrices. 27.- Details of the tip of the rectrices. 28.- Details of R5. 29.- Details of R5. 30.- Rectrices + uppertail coverts. 31.- Uppertail coverts. 32. Rectrices + undertail coverts. 33.- Undertail coverts. 34.- Assembly of crest feathers (left side). 35.- Assembly of crest feathers (right side). 36.- Details of the beginning of the crest. 37.- Details of the side of the crest. 38.- Details of the central feathers of the crest. 39.- Front of the crest. 40.- Crest feathers. 41.- Assembly of the right scapula. 42.- Feathers of the right scapula. 43.- Feathers of the right flank. 44.- Up: feathers of the upper back. Down: feathers of the lower back. 45.- Nape feathers. 46.- Up: chest feathers. Down: belly feathers.

EURASIAN HOOPOE

Medidas/Measures

1st year juvenile specimen

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