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green wood hoopoe

bird
Also known as: Phoeniculus purpureus

Quick Summary

The green wood hoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus) is a species of tropical African bird belonging to the family Phoeniculidae. These birds are predominantly greenish or purplish-black with long tails and slender, downcurved bills adapted for probing for insects.1

Green wood hoopoes live in social groups, similar to wolves, led by a dominant pair. When groups encounter each other, they perform a unique "flag-waving" display where birds wave bark while others rock and call. Wood hoopoes are known to forage in noisy bands, sometimes engaging in coordinated bowing, swaying, and calling behaviors.12

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