Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (ISSN 0178 – 6288) . Number 139, July 2016, pp. 1-23. | Page 8

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Hoopoes make seasonal movements in response to rain in some regions such as
in Ceylon and in the Western Ghats. Birds have been seen at high altitudes
during migration across the Himalayas. One was recorded at about 6,400 m
(21,000 feet) by the first Mount Everest expedition (Wikipedia).

The Hoopoe (Upupa epops Linnaeus, 1758) in the Gardens of the Sharjah Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, Al-Khan Lagoon, Sharjah, UAE. Photo by Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman
Ali Bassam Khalaf-von Jaffa. 26.02.2015.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/50022881@N00/16064523753/

Behaviour and Ecology
In what was long thought to be a defensive posture, hoopoes sunbathe by
spreading out their wings and tail low against the ground and tilting their head
up; they often fold their wings and preen halfway through. They also enjoy
taking dust and sand baths (Wikipedia).

Diet and Feeding
The diet of the hoopoe is mostly composed of insects, although small reptiles,
frogs and plant matter such as seeds and berries are sometimes taken as well. It is
a solitary forager which typically feeds on the ground. More rarely they will feed
in the air, where their strong and rounded wings make them fast and
Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 139 – July 2016