The marvellous Green Woodhoopoe

My safari guide Johnson has spotted the nest of a Green Woodhoopoe in a hole in a tree. I love them. We see one fly towards us and land on the tree. It calls and another adult emerges from the nest.

Their iridescent plumage is almost jewel-like. It’s like a fabulous 1920s flapper dress made with glorious sequins.

It’s brought a moth back to the nest to feed the adult on the eggs or chicks.

The iridescent green isn’t their only iridescent colour. There’s blue and a pink-purple colour on their wings and shoulders. That downcurved red bill is spectacular as well. As is the long tail.

Just when we think we’ve seen the couple, another adult arrives with food.

They’re clearly cooperative breeders and there could well be even more adults supporting this one nest.

Green Woodhoopoes live in groups of from two to sixteen individuals, with only one dominant couple breeding. The remaining individuals are all helpers. They might be males or females from previous broods or unrelated individuals who have joined a flock. Their role is to help the dominant couple raise their brood. It’s quite possible that they are learning all the skills necessary to raise a successful brood of their own, as well as raising brothers or sisters who will pass on their genes.

It’s clearly hungry work sitting on eggs or chicks, and the adult emerges after a call again and gets fed, this time with a caterpillar.

I could sit here all day.

I nearly did.