Belted Kingfisher vs Hoopoe

Megaceryle alcyon مقارنةً بـ Upupa epops

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

السمة Belted Kingfisher Hoopoe
الاسم العلمي Megaceryle alcyon Upupa epops
الرتبة Coraciiformes Bucerotiformes
الفصيلة Alcedinidae Upupidae
حالة الحفاظ Least Concern Least Concern
الطول 33,0 cm (13.0 in) 28,0 cm (11.0 in)
طول الجناح 53,0 cm (20.9 in) 46,0 cm (18.1 in)
الوزن 150,0 g (5.29 oz) 62,0 g (2.19 oz)
النظام الغذائي Primarily small fish caught by plunge-diving from a perch or hover. Also takes crayfish, frogs, … Insects and larvae probed from the ground, especially beetle grubs, crickets, and caterpillars. Occasionally takes …
عدد البيض في الوضع 6-7 2-12
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Size Comparison

Body Length
Belted Kingfisher 33,0 cm
Hoopoe 28,0 cm
طول الجناح
Belted Kingfisher 53,0 cm
Hoopoe 46,0 cm
الوزن
Belted Kingfisher 150,0 g
Hoopoe 62,0 g
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

الموائل المشتركة

بلا

Belted Kingfisher only

Hoopoe only

Belted Kingfisher

Rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, estuaries, and coastlines with clear water and suitable perches. Nests in burrows dug into earthen banks.

Hoopoe

Open woodland, orchards, vineyards, parkland, and grassland with bare or sparsely vegetated ground for foraging.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Song & Call Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

Belted Kingfisher

الغناء

A loud, rattling 'klee-klee-klee-klee' — mechanical and penetrating. Given in flight along rivers. Also a harsh 'kekekek' near nest. Far louder than Common Kingfisher.

Hoopoe

الغناء

The eponymous call: a soft, far-carrying 'oop-oop-oop', repeated in triplets or quadruplets. Given from a hidden perch; mellow and flute-like. Contact call is a thin 'cherrr'.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Geographic Range & Migration ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Geographic Range & Migration

Belted Kingfisher

North America from Alaska and Canada to Central America and the Caribbean. Northern populations migrate south in winter.

Hoopoe

Europe, Asia, and Africa. Northern populations are migratory. A widespread species across the Old World.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

حالة الحفاظ

Least Concern

Belted Kingfisher

Least Concern

Hoopoe

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

Belted Kingfisher

الريش

Blue-grey upperparts with a shaggy crest and a white collar. Males have a single blue-grey breast band; females have an additional rufous belly band.

المنقار

Long, heavy, straight, dark dagger-like bill

Hoopoe

الريش

Pinkish-brown body with dramatically barred black and white wings and tail. Long, erectile, fan-shaped crest tipped with black. Undulating butterfly-like flight.

المنقار

Long, thin, slightly decurved bill for probing soil

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

About These Birds

Belted Kingfisher

The belted kingfisher is unusual in that the female is more colorful than the male, sporting an additional rufous belly band. These noisy birds announce their territory with a distinctive rattling call. They excavate nesting burrows up to 2.4 meters deep into riverbanks using their heavy bills.

Hoopoe

The hoopoe is one of the most distinctive birds in the Old World with its striking zebra-patterned wings and extravagant crest. It is the national bird of Israel and features prominently in mythology from ancient Egypt to the Quran. Hoopoe nests produce a foul-smelling secretion that deters predators.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Related Comparisons

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family