L’Upupa è un bellissimo uccello della taglia di una tortora, il becco è molto lungo e ricurvo e le serve per esplorare il terreno per catturare larve di vario genere , le ali sono bianche e nere mentre il corpo e marrone rossiccio, se la osserviamo in volo sembra una farfalla gigante che compie traettorie ondeggianti, ama molto camminare a terra ed è piuttosto rapida negli spostamenti , costruisce il nido nelle cavità degli alberi, dei muri o in nidi artificiali.
Ogni anno dalla fine di marzo questo uccello compie regolari migrazioni dall’Africa all’Europa e con un po’ di attenzione è facile avvistarla , infatti anche quest’anno ho visto la prima Upupa svolazzare dalle mie parti all’inizio della primavera, ma non immaginavo che avrebbe deciso di fare il nido nel giardino.
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| Upupa femmina appena uscita dal nido |
Dopo varie osservazioni di un esemplare a passeggio sul prato, al quale non avevo dato molto peso , una mattina presto vidi arrivare una bella Upupa con una larva nel becco, incuriosito rimasi ad osservare e con mia sorpresa vidi questa Upupa avvicinarsi al pozzo e in particolare al foro che consente l’uscita del tubo dell’acqua dall’anello in cemento, dopo alcuni suoi avvicinamenti a quella apertura, è apparso per un secondo il becco di un’altra Upupa che stava dentro il pozzo e che ha preso la larva offertagli .
Mi sono documentato e ho dedotto che la larva era stata catturata dal maschio che la porgeva alla femmina intenta alla cova all’interno dell’anello in cemento che ricopre il pozzo.
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| Upupa all'ingresso del nido |
Dopo vari appostamenti sono riuscito ad immortalare la Femmina che un giorno è uscita fuori solo per poco tempo rimanendo ad osservare l’area circostante davanti l’ingresso del nido, per poi tornare subito dentro, invece in un’altra occasione ho fotografato il maschio che si avvicina all’apertura portando nel becco la larva per la femmina.
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| Maschio che porge una larva alla femmina nel nido |
Da queste osservazioni ho potuto notare come questa specie è molto elusiva, nonostante il nido fosse vicino all’abitazione il maschio sfruttava con un tempismo perfetto i momenti in cui non c’era nessuno nei paraggi, rendendosi visibile ben poche volte.
Questo carosello di arrivi e partenze di Upupe è durato alcune settimane, poi dopo circa un mese tutta la famiglia ha abbandonato il nido , ma in modo molto rapido senza consentirmi di osservarle ancora.
L’Upupa è un bellissimo e particolare uccello ed è fortunato chi gli capita di osservarla , in primavera è relativamente facile basta avere un pò di attenzione, è anche possibile costruire dei nidi artificiali per facilitarne la nidificazione , visto che le cavità naturali sono sempre più rare.
The Hoopoe in the well
The Hoopoe is a beautiful bird the size of a dove, the beak is very long and curved, and the need to explore the soil to capture larvae of various kinds, the wings are black and white while the body and reddish brown, if we look looks like a giant butterfly in flight trajectory which performs swaying, loves walking on the ground and is quite quick in movement, builds its nest in hollow trees, walls or artificial nests.
Every year from late March this bird makes regular migrations from Africa to Europe and with a little 'attention and easy to spot, because this year I saw the first Hoopoe flutter in my part of the early spring, but not I imagined that it would decide to make a nest in the garden.
After several observations of a specimen for a walk on the lawn, which I had not given much weight to get there early one morning I saw a beautiful hoopoe with a larva in its mouth, I was intrigued to observe and to my surprise I saw this Hoopoe near the well and in particular the hole, which allows the output of cement water pipe in the ring, after some of his approaches to the opening, appeared for a second that the eye of another Hoopoe who was inside the well and took the larva offered to .
I documented and I have concluded that the larva had been captured by the male and female intent on handing the hatching inside the ring of concrete covering the well.
After several ambushes have been able to capture the female that one day it is out only for a short time remaining to observe the area surrounding the front entrance of the nest, then go right back inside, but on another occasion I photographed the male approaches leading to the opening in its beak the larva to the female.
From these observations I have noticed that this species is very elusive, even though the nest was near the home the male took advantage of perfect timing the moments when there was nobody around, making themselves visible only rarely.
This carousel of arrivals and departures Hoopoes lasted several weeks, then about a month after the family left the nest, but very quickly without even allow me to observe them.
The Hoopoe is a beautiful and unique bird and the lucky people who happen to observe it in the spring is relatively easy enough to have a little care, you can also build artificial nests to facilitate nesting, since the natural cavities are increasingly rare.
The Hoopoe is a beautiful bird the size of a dove, the beak is very long and curved, and the need to explore the soil to capture larvae of various kinds, the wings are black and white while the body and reddish brown, if we look looks like a giant butterfly in flight trajectory which performs swaying, loves walking on the ground and is quite quick in movement, builds its nest in hollow trees, walls or artificial nests.
Every year from late March this bird makes regular migrations from Africa to Europe and with a little 'attention and easy to spot, because this year I saw the first Hoopoe flutter in my part of the early spring, but not I imagined that it would decide to make a nest in the garden.
After several observations of a specimen for a walk on the lawn, which I had not given much weight to get there early one morning I saw a beautiful hoopoe with a larva in its mouth, I was intrigued to observe and to my surprise I saw this Hoopoe near the well and in particular the hole, which allows the output of cement water pipe in the ring, after some of his approaches to the opening, appeared for a second that the eye of another Hoopoe who was inside the well and took the larva offered to .
I documented and I have concluded that the larva had been captured by the male and female intent on handing the hatching inside the ring of concrete covering the well.
After several ambushes have been able to capture the female that one day it is out only for a short time remaining to observe the area surrounding the front entrance of the nest, then go right back inside, but on another occasion I photographed the male approaches leading to the opening in its beak the larva to the female.
From these observations I have noticed that this species is very elusive, even though the nest was near the home the male took advantage of perfect timing the moments when there was nobody around, making themselves visible only rarely.
This carousel of arrivals and departures Hoopoes lasted several weeks, then about a month after the family left the nest, but very quickly without even allow me to observe them.
The Hoopoe is a beautiful and unique bird and the lucky people who happen to observe it in the spring is relatively easy enough to have a little care, you can also build artificial nests to facilitate nesting, since the natural cavities are increasingly rare.
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| Hoopoe female just out of the nest |
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| Hoopoe at the entrance of the nest |
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| Male that gives the larva to the female in the nest |
