Stan Ray asked:
> Theresa, I did not see the hoopoe on your list. Ive been to western Europe
> several times, and have searched specifically for this bird. Even had local
> birders tell me where to look, but no soap. I am not sure this bird exists
> - Ha Ha.
and Serge answered
> The Eurasian Hoopoe _Upupa epops_ (funny name eh!) is a migratory bird.
> According to my European Birds guide, it should breed in Switzerland, but
> it surely is comfortable in its winter quarters now.
>
> This is a very nice bird, and its song is very funny too: "hoop hoop hoop"
> repeated many times.
> Quite scarce in Brittany though :-(

Yes, there are a few Hoopoes left in Switzerland, but they are rare. If I
remember correctly, they nest in holes, like 'waste' land, and warm climate.
- Holes: Hoopoe numbers declined in Switzerland in the 50es and 60es because
of the cutting down of lots of old orchards. (If you see pictures of Swiss
villages from 1945 it looks as if they are set in a forest of fruit trees)
- waste land: every square metre of soil is used in Switzerland for some
'useful' production -> no space for Hoopoe (and many groundnesting birds,
like quail)
- climate: restricts the range also. Along the S-side of the Jura, around
Geneva, in the Valais (upper Rhone valley), pockets in lowland
Switzerland (+presumably in the Ticino).

I have never seen one in Switzerland myself (possibly heard), but go to
Greece, or Romania (Danube Delta), and you will see them in dozens.

Reto Riesen
Dept. Chem., UBC
Vancouver
riesenr at chem.ubc.ca