The Common Hoopoe Upupa epops (pictured) is an unusual bird with orange, black and white colouration, long crest and a curved bill used to probe the ground in search of grubs and insects. In Southern Africa, it breeds from August to December in a suitable nest hole and calls frequently during this period, which also roughly coincides with the rainy season. People of Ndebele origin thus believe that this species calls for the rain and it is therefore seldom harmed.
The baTonga and Nambya believe that this hoopoe is a particularly important messenger, closely associated with spirit mediums and that if a dead bird is found it is a sure sign of unease amongst the spirits and a harbinger of impending bad luck.
The sociable Green Woodhoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus is also associated with the spirit mediums, largely due to their raucous ‘cackling’ communication calls. This is reflected in their Ndebele name iNhlekabafazi or ‘laughing women’.
Local names for the Common Hoopoe in Zimbabwe:
Mhupupu, Chigubhubhu, Tuvo, Gugugu – Shona (all dialects)
inVekle, iMvunduna – Ndebele
Pupupu, Marimamalanga – Shangaan
iN’angaya bayuni – baTonga/Nambya
Local names for the Green Woodhoopoe in Zimbabwe:
Haya – Shona (all dialects)
iNhlekabafazi, uNukani –Ndebele
Kolokolwana – Shangaan
Information for this section was obtained only from interviews with contributors.
Common Hoopoes have widely been regarded as a bird of powerful medicine, associated with general virtue, particularly in the Arab world. In ancient Egypt their blood was applied to the eyes to inspire visions and these birds were offered for sale in modern Egyptian markets as late as the 1980’s as a good luck charm. They also continue to be used for various magico-medicinal purposes by the Hausa people of West Africa.
Additional Reference:
Cocker, M & Tipling, D. (2013). Birds and People, Jonathan Cape, London, England.
For more information on the species mentioned here visit:
https://ebird.org/species/eurhoo2?siteLanguage=en_AU
http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/common-hoopoe-upupa-epops
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