Hoopoe vs Snowy Owl
Upupa epops comparé à Bubo scandiacus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Hoopoe | Snowy Owl |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Upupa epops | Bubo scandiacus |
| Ordre | Bucerotiformes | Strigiformes |
| Famille | Upupidae | Strigidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Longueur | 28,0 cm (11.0 in) | 63,0 cm (24.8 in) |
| Envergure | 46,0 cm (18.1 in) | 145,0 cm (57.1 in) |
| Poids | 62,0 g (2.19 oz) | 2100,0 g (74.08 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Insects and larvae probed from the ground, especially beetle grubs, crickets, and caterpillars. Occasionally takes … | Primarily lemmings on the breeding grounds, where a pair may consume over 1,500 per year. … |
| Taille de la couvée | 2-12 | 3-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Hoopoe
Open woodland, orchards, vineyards, parkland, and grassland with bare or sparsely vegetated ground for foraging.
Snowy Owl
Arctic tundra for breeding. Winters in open habitats resembling tundra, including prairies, airports, shorelines, and agricultural fields.
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'.
Snowy Owl
Male gives a deep booming hoot 'hooooo' and a rising 'hoo-hoo' series. Also barks sharply when alarmed. Quieter than many owls; silent during long Arctic winter hunts.
Geographic Range & Migration
Hoopoe
Europe, Asia, and Africa. Northern populations are migratory. A widespread species across the Old World.
Snowy Owl
Circumpolar Arctic for breeding. Irruptive winter movements bring birds south to the northern United States, Europe, and Asia.
Statut de conservation
Hoopoe
Snowy Owl
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
Snowy Owl
Adult males are almost entirely white. Females and immatures have dark brown barring and spotting. Yellow eyes and fully feathered feet.
Dark hooked bill mostly hidden by dense facial feathering
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.
Snowy Owl
The snowy owl is the heaviest North American owl and one of the most charismatic Arctic birds. Unlike most owls, it is largely diurnal, necessitated by the continuous daylight of Arctic summers. Snowy owl irruptions — periodic mass southward movements — are tied to lemming population cycles.