Lincoln Park Zoo

Common name: Green woodhoopoe
Latin Name: Phoeniculus purpureus

Class: Birds
Order:    Coraciiformes

Description
Green woodhoopoes can reach up to 17 inches in length from their head to sizable tail. The species is named for its dark-green feathers, which have white markings along the wings and tail. The back and tail have purple shadings, and the bill is bright red in adults and black in immature birds.

Range
Africa, from Senegal east to Ethiopia and south to South Africa.

Status
The green woodhoopoe is considered a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Habitat
Forests and woodlands

Niche
Insects and spiders make up the bulk of the bird’s diet.

Life History
The green woodhoopoe is a territorial species, living in groups of 2–16 family members. Breeding pairs lay eggs in abandoned tree holes, and offspring stay with the group for a time to help rear their younger siblings. This cooperative breeding boosts the nestlings’ survival rate and ensures that some of the helper’s genes survive in the next generation

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