Upupidae Hoopoes

Hoopoes are named for their dove-like song, which the males deliver from a perch with downflexed head and inflated throat, giving the call a ringing and far-ranging quality. But song is not what most observers think of when seeing their first Hoopoes. Their crazy looks suggest they are fashion pioneers of the bird world: Both sexes are outrageously attired with long, lax orange crests tipped with black and often held erect like a giant fan. These are complemented by a long, thin, decurved bill and dramatic barring on wings and tail. Hoopoes build their nests in all kinds of cavities, even in towns, and they are legendarily foul-smelling, the product of powerful uropygial gland secretions used in nest defense.