Are you a bird lover and looking for magnificent birds like Kea Parrot and Crowned Eagle? Don’t worry as we present you with an exotic species, the Green wood-hoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus) or the kakelaar. Their name is also spelled as a woodhoopoe sometimes. These birds are native to Africa and were formerly known as red-billed wood-hoopoe. Forests and woodlands are the primary habitats of these birds. These birds, like a woodpecker, make their own nest or lay eggs on an empty barbet nest. Both the mating pair take part in the nesting duty. Around three to four blue eggs are laid after breeding, and the incubation process takes around 18 days. These birds live in groups or flocks that are led by the dominant pair. A wide array of colors can be seen widespread all over the body involving colors like yellow, green, blue, purple, and violet. These birds that are residents of Africa live in natural treetops, branches and natural foliage where food can be found in plenty.These creatures are extremely beautiful, and children are bound to love them when they see a green wood-hoopoe photo in books. The green wood-hoopoe in-flight displays a flag-waving behavior with other birds of different flocks. Owing to their decreasing numbers, the green wood-hoopoe aviary needs to be set up for their protection.If you find our content interesting, then do check out these toco toucan and umbrellabird facts!
Fun Green Wood-hoopoe Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Insects, lizards, spiders
What do they eat? Omnivores
Average litter size? 3-4
How much do they weigh? 0.11-0.21 lb (52-99 g)
How long are they? 12.8-15.7 in (32.5–40 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Dark green
Skin Type Feathers
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Woodlands And Forests
Locations South Africa, Senegal, Southern African Countries
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Phoeniculus
Class Aves
Family Phoeniculidae
Green Wood-Hoopoe Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a green wood-hoopoe?The green wood-hoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus), formerly known as red-billed wood hoopoe, is a tropical bird that belongs to the family Phoeniculidae.What class of animal does a green wood-hoopoe belong to?Just like other species of birds, the green wood-hoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus) too belongs to the class Aves of the Animalia Kingdom.How many green wood-hoopoes are there in the world?The International Union for Conservation of Nature or the IUCN Red List is yet to quantify the number of green wood-hoopoe that is currently present on the globe. However, for the population trend of the green wood-hoopoe, IUCN states that it is constantly declining due to habitat loss and hunting.Where do green wood-hoopoes live?The green wood-hoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus) is an exclusive resident of the continent of Africa, where the different subspecies reside in many countries in the south part of Africa. These birds are known to be found in Senegal, South Africa, the Central African Republic, Gambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, and other Southern African countries.What is a green wood-hoopoe’s habitat?The green wood-hoopoe range map shows that this resident of Africa can be found in a number of different varieties of habitats. These birds are known to be found in the savannas, woodlands, wooded gardens, forests as well as near sea level. These birds dwell on trees where they use them for nesting and roosting.Who does a green wood-hoopoe live with?The green wood-hoopoe, previously known as red-billed wood-hoopoe, are social birds that are known to live in tightly closed groups. Each of these groups is headed by not a single bird, rather by a dominant pair. These are highly social birds, and when different groups meet, these birds are known to interact with one another by flag-waving behavior.How long does a green wood-hoopoe live?On average, the green wood-hoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus), which is a native to Africa, has a considerably longer lifespan. Though out in the wild, the average lifespan is less in comparison to captivity. These are strong birds that use different ways to fool their predators. Out in the wild, the lifespan is usually around eight years, while with proper care in captivity, the lifespan can reach almost 15 years approximately.How do they reproduce?On a wider scale, the breeding season of these birds is observed all throughout the year. All throughout their range, the majority of the breeding season is known to observe during the rains. The breeding pair is known to stay away from their group and start nesting. The nest is usually built in the hollow areas of the wood or a hole within tree crevices. If a natural hole is not found in the trees, then these birds often preceded to make a hole like a woodpecker or lays eggs on a barbet nest. These birds use the same hole nests during consecutive years for breeding. On average, three to four blue eggs are laid per clutch during the breeding season. Only the female incubates the eggs in the nest. The male never incubates, while the entire incubation process can take up to 17-18 days on average. The hatchlings are fed by the female while the male and other helper birds take care of the young ones. Though the baby birds can fly in about a month, they are still fed by the helpers for quite a while. Rainfall plays a vital role in breeding and nest sites as the availability of food is essential.What is their conservation status?The green wood-hoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus) has been listed as a species of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature or the IUCN Red List. Though the population trend has been on the decline over the years, there is no imminent threat to the species. The sole reason for the decline in the population has been human activities like habitat loss and climate change. Proper care should be undertaken for the conservation of these birds else they would be engulfed by the jaws of extinction. Green Wood-Hoopoe Fun FactsWhat do green wood-hoopoes look like?The ideal description of these birds would be their color which is dark green widespread all over the body. The tails are long, and the tails often have white marks on them. Wings have black and white markings, thereby making these easily identifiable. Unlike the wings, the bills are bright orange in color and can easily be spotted from a distance. A wide mixture of hues can be seen on the plumage, where yellow, light green, blue, purple, and violet colors create wonderful textures.How cute are they?The green wood-hoopoe bird of the Phoeniculidae family is extremely cute. Bird lovers and ornithologists are bound to find them to be magnificent and adorable.How do they communicate?These birds are known to communicate by using a wide range of vocal techniques. Apart from the traditional ‘kuk-uk-uk-uk’ call that is high pitched and loud, these birds also sing after feeding insects to the young ones. The green wood-hoopoe call can often turn into ’laughter calls’ when many birds join to form a chorus. The female birds are known to have high-pitched voices and use chittering or twittering calls during the flight.How big is a green wood-hoopoe?These birds are around 12.8-15.7 in (32.5–40 cm) in length and may rise up to 17in (44 cm). In comparison with yellow-billed cuckoo (10-12 in (25.4-30.4 cm)), we can say that the latter is slightly smaller in size.How fast can a green wood-hoopoe fly?Owing to very limited data, the exact speed at which the green wood-hoopoe flies is not known. However, we can make an assumption based on the flying speed of hoopoes. Hoopoes, in general, are fast-flying birds and usually fly at a speed of 25 mph (40kph).How much does a green wood-hoopoe weigh?These birds weigh 0.11-0.21 lb (52-99 g). The female species usually weigh less. In comparison with scarlet macaw (2.0-2.6 lb (907-1179 g)), we can say that the latter is almost 18 times heavier.What are the male and female names of the species?The green wood-hoopoe is a bird, and like all other birds of this world, the male species are known as a cock, while the green wood-hoopoe female is known as a hen.What would you call a baby green wood-hoopoe?All baby birds of the globe are known as chicks. Therefore a green wood-hoopoe baby would also be known as a chick or, more appropriately, a green wood-hoopoe chick.What do they eat?Green wood-hoopoe are omnivorous birds and feeds on both plants and animals for their food needs. A wide range of insects falls under the green wood-hoopoe food diet. These include the likes of lizards, termites, spiders, caterpillars that are usually present on tree trunks or crevices, along with plant-based foods like seeds and fruits. These birds are known to forage their food on holes or branches of trees.Are they poisonous?No, these birds are not at all poisonous to humans or other animals that live in their same habitat.Would they make a good pet?It would be a bad choice to keep these birds as pets. These are wild birds, and their distribution lies in the forests of Africa. Moreover, these birds live in flocks that are led by a dominant pair, so keeping a bird solitary as a pet would be a bad choice. Lastly, though they are a species of Least Concern, their population has been on the decline over the years, so rather than keeping them as pets, proper conservation methods should be implemented so that these birds can survive happily in the wild.Did you know…The green wood-hoopoe is a species of hoopoe that has been further subdivided into six subspecies, all of them being residents of Africa. These six subspecies are, Phoeniculus purpureus guineensis, Phoeniculus purpureus senegalensis, Phoeniculus purpureus niloticus, Phoeniculus purpureus marwitzi, Phoeniculus purpureus angolensis and Phoeniculus purpureus purpureus.How did the green wood-hoopoe get its name?As known as the Kakelaar bird in English, the green wood-hoopoe got this special name owing to its vocal nature. Kakelaar in African means a chatter-box, thereby making it an appropriate name for these birds.What does a hoopoe symbolize?The hoopoe is known to symbolize a wide range of things from both ancient and modern cultures. A hoopoe symbolizes wisdom, kingship, and piety.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these red-backed shrike facts and Hyacinth macaw facts for kids.You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable bird coloring pages.
What type of animal is a green wood-hoopoe?
The green wood-hoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus), formerly known as red-billed wood hoopoe, is a tropical bird that belongs to the family Phoeniculidae.
Fun Green Wood-hoopoe Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Insects, lizards, spiders
What do they eat? Omnivores
Average litter size? 3-4
How much do they weigh? 0.11-0.21 lb (52-99 g)
How long are they? 12.8-15.7 in (32.5–40 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Dark green
Skin Type Feathers
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Woodlands And Forests
Locations South Africa, Senegal, Southern African Countries
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Phoeniculus
Class Aves
Family Phoeniculidae
Fun Green Wood-hoopoe Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Insects, lizards, spiders
What do they eat? Omnivores
Average litter size? 3-4
How much do they weigh? 0.11-0.21 lb (52-99 g)
How long are they? 12.8-15.7 in (32.5–40 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Dark green
Skin Type Feathers
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Woodlands And Forests
Locations South Africa, Senegal, Southern African Countries
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Phoeniculus
Class Aves
Family Phoeniculidae
Fun Green Wood-hoopoe Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Insects, lizards, spiders
What do they eat? Omnivores
Average litter size? 3-4
How much do they weigh? 0.11-0.21 lb (52-99 g)
How long are they? 12.8-15.7 in (32.5–40 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Dark green
Skin Type Feathers
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Woodlands And Forests
Locations South Africa, Senegal, Southern African Countries
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Phoeniculus
Class Aves
Family Phoeniculidae
Fun Green Wood-hoopoe Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Insects, lizards, spiders
What do they eat? Omnivores
Average litter size? 3-4
How much do they weigh? 0.11-0.21 lb (52-99 g)
How long are they? 12.8-15.7 in (32.5–40 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Dark green
Skin Type Feathers
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Woodlands And Forests
Locations South Africa, Senegal, Southern African Countries
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Phoeniculus
Class Aves
Family Phoeniculidae
What do they prey on? Insects, lizards, spiders
What do they eat? Omnivores
Average litter size? 3-4
How much do they weigh? 0.11-0.21 lb (52-99 g)
How long are they? 12.8-15.7 in (32.5–40 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Dark green
Skin Type Feathers
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Woodlands And Forests
Locations South Africa, Senegal, Southern African Countries
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Phoeniculus
Class Aves
Family Phoeniculidae
What do they prey on? Insects, lizards, spiders
What do they eat? Omnivores
Average litter size? 3-4
How much do they weigh? 0.11-0.21 lb (52-99 g)
How long are they? 12.8-15.7 in (32.5–40 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Dark green
Skin Type Feathers
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
What do they prey on?
Insects, lizards, spiders
What do they eat?
Omnivores
Average litter size?
3-4
How much do they weigh?
0.11-0.21 lb (52-99 g)
How long are they?
12.8-15.7 in (32.5–40 cm)
How tall are they?
N/A
What do they look like?
Dark green
Skin Type
Feathers
What were their main threats?
Humans
What is their conservation status?
Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Woodlands And Forests
Locations South Africa, Senegal, Southern African Countries
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Phoeniculus
Class Aves
Family Phoeniculidae
Where you’ll find them?
Woodlands And Forests
Locations
South Africa, Senegal, Southern African Countries
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Phoeniculus
Kingdom
Animalia
Genus
Phoeniculus
Class Aves
Family Phoeniculidae
