Crest fully raised. These astonishing looking birds like to dig in the ground with their long pick-like bill. They are divided into three groups.
1. Eurasian - migratory
2. Central African - sedentary
3. African - sedentary
Birds in Namibia are in the African group "U. e. africana." They are similar in pattern to Eurasian birds, but more rufous in color. Most authorities consider these three groups to be one species but some elevate the sedentary African group (but not the Central African group) into a separate species, African Hoopoe (Upupa africana). Clements/eBird retains the English name Eurasian Hoopoe for the combined species even though it includes populations well outside of Eurasia. I personally think the name Common Hoopoe is more sensible. Hoopoes are in their own family, the Upupidae. They have traditionally been placed with the Coraciiformes which include kingfishers, rollers and bee-eaters. However they have since been moved to a whole new order, Bucerotiformes, including the Hornbills, based on molecular studies.
