The Creature Awaits #133:
Each week I plan to feature an amazing creature, admiring God's fantastic artistry. Hopefully it’ll brighten someone’s day to see something new and interesting if they haven’t seen it before. : )
We hope all who celebrated it had a Happy Hanukkah this year! : )
(Beautiful photograph taken by Sue of Sue and Graeme... Though it's a bit hard to tell due to the internet being the internet, It looks like she may have passed on earlier this year. Whether she has or not, her amazing gallery will definitely be admired, cherished and enjoyed for years to come. (CC BY-NC 2.0))
The Hoopoe
Species: The Eurasian Hoopoe (pictured), The African Hoopoe, & The Madagascar Hoopoe
Scientific Names: Upupa epops, Upupa africana, & Upupa marginata (respectively)
Region: Scattered regions across Europe, Asia and Africa (as their species names suggest)
Size: About 10"-12.6" (~25.4cm-32cm) long
Interesting Notes: Like Cormorants and Anhingas, the Hoopoe can often be observed "sunbathing" with their tail low, head high, and wings spead. The Hoopoe (”Duchifat” in Hebrew) was declared the national bird of Israel in 2008 during the nation's 60th anniversary, after a poll was taken by 155,000 citizens. The bird was chosen not only for its beautiful plumage, but also its role in Jewish folklore (as it similarly does in the Koran), leading King Solomon to the Queen of Sheba.
