Hoopoe vs Turquoise-fronted Amazon
Upupa epops compared with Amazona aestiva
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Hoopoe | Turquoise-fronted Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Upupa epops | Amazona aestiva |
| Order | Bucerotiformes | Psittaciformes |
| Family | Upupidae | Psittacidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | 28.0 cm (11.0 in) | 36.0 cm (14.2 in) |
| Wingspan | 46.0 cm (18.1 in) | 55.0 cm (21.7 in) |
| Weight | 62.0 g (2.19 oz) | 400.0 g (14.11 oz) |
| Diet | Insects and larvae probed from the ground, especially beetle grubs, crickets, and caterpillars. Occasionally takes … | Seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, and flowers. Feeds in tree canopy in noisy flocks. Occasionally raids … |
| Clutch Size | 2-12 | 1-5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Hoopoe
Open woodland, orchards, vineyards, parkland, and grassland with bare or sparsely vegetated ground for foraging.
Turquoise-fronted Amazon
Tropical and subtropical forests, woodland, savanna, and palm groves in South America.
Song & Call Comparison
Hoopoe
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'.
Turquoise-fronted Amazon
Loud, raucous squawking and screaming calls. Capable of impressive vocal mimicry including human speech. Contact call is a rolling 'arr-arr'. Highly vocal in social groups.
Geographic Range & Migration
Hoopoe
Europe, Asia, and Africa. Northern populations are migratory. A widespread species across the Old World.
Turquoise-fronted Amazon
Interior of South America including Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and northern Argentina.
Conservation Status
Hoopoe
Turquoise-fronted Amazon
How to Tell Them Apart
Hoopoe
Pinkish-brown body with dramatically barred black and white wings and tail. Long, erectile, fan-shaped crest tipped with black. Undulating butterfly-like flight.
Long, thin, slightly decurved bill for probing soil
Turquoise-fronted Amazon
Green body with a turquoise-blue forehead, yellow face, and red and blue wing patches. Red at the bend of the wing visible in flight.
Strong, hooked, dark grey upper mandible with a paler lower mandible
About These Birds
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.
Turquoise-fronted Amazon
The turquoise-fronted amazon is one of the most popular pet parrots in the world, prized for its ability to mimic human speech and its engaging personality. In the wild, these sociable parrots roost communally in large flocks and fly in pairs to feeding sites at dawn. Habitat loss and trapping for the pet trade threaten wild populations.