Phoeniculus erythrorhynchos.
The only common member of the family and a particularly noisy soecies.
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Guinea Wood-Hoopoe or
Kakelaar. Phoeniculus erythrorhynchos. The only common member of the family and a particularly noisy soecies. |
| Recognition: Mediun size with long tail. The plumage is a glossy blue-black relieved by white in the wings and tail that only shows clearly in flight. The exceptionally long and graduated tail has all but the middle feathers with white near the tip. The long curved bill and feet are bright red. ( Young birds have a black bill.) |
| Distribution: Common and widespread in Nigeria, less so in Ghana and apparently unknown in west of the Ivory Coast. |
| Habits: Most often seen in small parties, the birds fly from tree to tree in single file calling softly. When assembled they become noisy, bobbing up and down and flirting their tails. The tree is then searched for insects, birds run along the boughs, move jerkily clinging to the trunk and may drop to the ground. Little is known of breeding habits, except that pale-blue eggs are laid in tree holes. |
| Call: A sharp call of "Aq" but repeated so rapidly, when excited, as to sound like a rattle. |
