hoopoe

American  

[hoo-poo] / ˈhu pu /

noun

1. any Old World bird of the family Upupidae, especially Upupa epops, of Europe, having an erectile, fanlike crest.

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hoopoe British  

/ ˈhuːpuː /

noun

1. an Old World bird, Upupa epops, having a pinkish-brown plumage with black-and-white wings and an erectile crest: family Upupidae, order Coraciiformes (kingfishers, etc)

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Etymology

Origin of hoopoe

1660–70; variant of obsolete hoopoop (imitative); cognate with Low German huppup; compare Latin upupa

Explanation

A hoopoe is a distinctive bird with a fabulous crown of feathers on its head. Hoopoes are found in Europe, Africa, and Asia. The colorful hoopoe, with its spectacular crest and pinkish feathers marked with bold stripes, is a beautiful bird with a reputation for being smelly. Hoopoes are actually clean birds that keep their nests tidy, but they can also release a terrible stink to keep predators at bay. The name hoopoe is imitative, resembling the bird's soft cry, which has been described as sounding like "the noise of blowing gently over a bottle."

Example Sentences

But the hoopoe study offers the first evidence of lardering in a vertebrate that invests a substantial amount of energy in caring for its young, researchers say.

From Science Magazine • Mar. 15, 2024

He said the park’s clean environment and lack of pollution had drawn more wild animals, including hoopoe birds, an owl that took residence above the aristocratic House of Pansa and lots of hedgehogs.

From New York Times • Dec. 22, 2022

Messiaen wanted the hoopoe to create the effect of a harpsichord mixed with a gong, and that’s what it was.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 27, 2021

"The emerald turaco and the hoopoe, both with crown-like head feathers, scored highly," they wrote in their paper in the psychology journal i-Perception.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2021

A hoopoe called from a Kenya coffee tree and was answered by another.

From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer