Photo: Herbert Goodchild / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Violet Wood Hoopoe
Phoeniculus damarensis
Violet Wood Hoopoe (Phoeniculus damarensis) — Hornbills & Hoopoes of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Violet Wood Hoopoe (Phoeniculus damarensis) is a member of the Phoeniculidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 81.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Bucerotiformes
- Family Phoeniculidae Wood Hoopoes
- Genus Phoeniculus
- Species damarensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 81.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Phoeniculidae
- Order
- Bucerotiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Violet Wood Hoopoe is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Violet Wood Hoopoe is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Violet Wood Hoopoe (Phoeniculus damarensis) belongs to the Phoeniculidae family of the order Bucerotiformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Angola and Namibia. Also Kenya.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 81.8 g, with a wing length of about 14.8 cm and a tail of around 21.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 823,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Violet Wood Hoopoe?
The Violet Wood Hoopoe is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 81.8 g.
Where does the Violet Wood Hoopoe live?
The Violet Wood Hoopoe is found across Africa with a range covering AF Angola and Namibia. Also Kenya, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Violet Wood Hoopoe belong to?
The Violet Wood Hoopoe (Phoeniculus damarensis) belongs to the Phoeniculidae family, in the order Bucerotiformes.
What does the Violet Wood Hoopoe eat?
The Violet Wood Hoopoe is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Violet Wood Hoopoe migrate?
The Violet Wood Hoopoe is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Violet Wood Hoopoe endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Violet Wood Hoopoe make?
1 real field recording of the Violet Wood Hoopoe — including its duet — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Violet Wood Hoopoe's range?
The Violet Wood Hoopoe has a mapped global range of about 823,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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