Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (ISSN 0178 – 6288) . Number 140, August 2016, pp. 1-21. | Page 5

5

Acquiring a more positive role, conversely, in May 2008 it was chosen as the
national bird of Israel, and is also the state bird of India’s Punjab province
(Shuker, 2011).

A Hoopoe at Wadi Gaza, Gaza Strip, Palestine. Photo by my friend the Researcher
Ayman Dardouna from Gaza, Palestine. 15.11.2014.

Hoopoe Facts
Hoopoe is a bird of the family Upupidae. This colorful bird can be found across
the Europe, Asia, Africa and Madagascar. Hoopoe inhabits wide variety of
habitats: grasslands, savannas, forests and wooded steppes. Hoopoe is a national
bird of Israel and one of the birds that were considered sacred in Ancient Egypt.
Main threats to the survival of the hoopoe are habitat loss and climate changes.
At the moment, number of hoopoes in the wild is stable. Hoopoe is not on the
list of endangered species (Soft Schools).

Interesting Hoopoe Facts:
Hoopoe is a medium-sized bird that can reach length between 9.8 to 12.6 inches
and weight between 1.6 and 3.1 ounces. It has a wingspan of 17.3 to 19 inches.
Hoopoe is named after onomatopoeic sound produced by the bird: oop-oop-oop.
Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 140 – August 2016