I have been fortunate enough to have seen plenty of birds in my 15-year birding ‘career’. My life list is now close to 1100 species globally. This list pales in comparison to many other globe-trotting birders out there, but I am extremely thankful nonetheless. Some of my all-time favourites include kingfishers, vultures and albatrosses. But close to the top of that favourites list is a bird that is a familiar sight to many, yet holds a special place in my heart – the Hoopoe.

What’s up with the Hoopoe?

Even as I was growing up, I was already aware of how special the Hoopoe truly is. More than just a beautiful bird, the Hoopoe also holds a significance in Islam. The Hoopoe, or Hud-Hud in Arabic and Malay, is referred directly in the Holy Quran (Surah An-Naml, 20-28) as the scout and messenger for Prophet Sulaiman. In these verses, the Hoopoe informed the Prophet regarding the sun-worshipping kingdom of Sheba, and their Queen Bilqis.

Another interesting point here is that the Hoopoe is mentioned specifically, down to species* level. While there are other mentions of birds in the Holy Quran, these are more generic terms such as ‘Quails’ or ‘Crows’.

*Depending on authority, there can be up to 2 extant Hoopoe species. The most widespread (and the one that occurs in the middle east) is the Common Hoopoe.

Beautiful Bird

To me, the Common Hoopoe (Upupa epops) is one of the most beautiful birds on earth. True, it isn’t the most colourful. But what it lacks in colour is more than made up by its strikingly bold plumage.

Its wings are adorned with bold black-and-white stripes, reminiscent of zebra markings. This contrasting pattern becomes even more dazzling when the bird spreads its wings. Combine this with their yellowish-orange body, it’s almost as if the Hoopoe is advertising a warning sign. Beware: beautiful bird ahead!

And if this pattern combination isn’t arresting enough, the Hoopoe is also equipped with an eye-catching head ornament – a crest. At rest, this coronal of feathers is held flat, pointing backwards like the crest of the prehistoric Parasaurolophus. But when the bird is excited, that flat crest is revealed to its full splendour: A spectacular fan of orange feathers tipped with black that has to be seen to be believed. Truly, a fully fanned-out crest of the Hoopoe has few equals in the animal world.  

I’ve seen the Hoopoe in illustrations, photos, and tv documentaries. Needless to say, I need to see one for real. Just one (big) problem though – this species isn’t typically found in Malaysia! 

Taiping Hoopoes & Pandemic Problems

Throughout the years, there have been the occasional vagrant Hoopoe reported in Malaysia, such as one at Pulau Indah in 2009. However, the Taiping Hoopoes of 2020 was the first time I became aware of their presence in Malaysia. Unbelievably, these Hoopoes were conveniently nesting in the Taiping Lake Gardens, in full view of everyone. This was the first time this species, supposedly a vagrant, had been recorded breeding in the country. They instantly became big news amongst the birding community in Malaysia.

One catch, though. They were nesting during the severe stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when Malaysia was under strict lockdown. Needless to say, I didn’t go to see the birds, as I wasn’t going to risk getting myself or others infected just for the sake of my own selfish reasons. 

Unfortunately for me, by the time I was able to visit Taiping, the birds had already gone. My wait to see the Hoopoe continued.

Incredible India

That wait finally ended in October 2025 at the Little Rann of Kutch, Gujarat, India. There, I managed to observe a Hoopoe for an extended period. I slowly followed the bird and observed its behavior. It was walking to-and-fro on the ground, repeatedly probing the sandy soil with its thin, downcurved bill. Occasionally, it would pause and pull out a juicy grub from the earth. It never really opened up its crest, but I didn’t mind as this encounter was more than good enough already. 

Then, as suddenly as it appeared, the bird flew off, showing its dazzling wing patterns while flying in an undulating manner, rather like a woodpecker. 

My birding colleagues must’ve been rather bemused at seeing me so intently observing and photographing an ostensibly ‘common’ bird. As the saying goes: one man’s trash is another’s treasure.

Taiping Hoopoes, redux

Ultimately, my dream was to see the bird in my home country. I knew that this was going to be a tall order. Ever since the Hoopoe family left their nest at the Taiping Lake Gardens, they never nested back there again. Nevertheless, during the years since, I did hear persistent news that the Hoopoes were still sporadically seen around Taiping. Indeed, photos of the birds pop-up in social media from time to time. However, nobody seemed to be willing to divulge the exact locations, for various reasons. 

As fate would have it, in March 2026 the Hoopoes were back in the local birding news. The birds were breeding again! Just like before, the location was hushed. However, this time, I was given the location by a friend. So, during the recent Labour day weekend, myself and a friend decided to take a punt and go to Taiping to see the Hoopoes.

Hoopoes in my homeland

I must say, seeing the Hoopoe in my home country was surreal. There it was, this dazzling, alien-looking, orange-black-and-white bird, in Malaysia! Like an immigrant from a far-off land. Having only seen the bird in dry, semi-arid habitats before, it kind of seemed out of place in my wet and humid tropical country.

For me and my friend, seeing the legendary Hud-Hud in Malaysia was a dream come true. 

Surprisingly, despite being a 3-day weekend, there were only a few people at the spot. Evidently, the location was still relatively a guarded secret. Being there, I sort of understood why. Nevertheless, I was heartened to see a couple of families bring their kids there. What better way to get your children interested in birding than bringing them to see one of the most spectacular birds on earth, eh? 

A couple of final thoughts

As we braved the traffic jams back to Kuala Lumpur, I couldn’t help but reflect on the experience. I really wished the spot wasn’t hush-hush, so more people in Malaysia could come and see this special bird. Wouldn’t it be great if the Hoopoes nested at the Taiping Lake Gardens again? There, secrecy is unnecessary, and everyone can enjoy their beauty and their antics. 

Personally, I hate keeping bird locations a secret. I want people to see birds that I’ve seen. I want everyone to enjoy rare birds like I do. But at the same time, I do understand why this secrecy is often necessary. It all boils down to ethics. There are some unethical birders/photographers* out there, who are more interested in personal gain rather than the welfare of the birds.

I hope one day ethical birding will take priority, and this ‘policy of secrecy’ will be a thing of the past. Thus, all of us can enjoy seeing rare birds whenever and wherever they turn up in Malaysia. 

*I learned this the hard way, through experience with rare birds I’ve personally discovered.

Conclusion

So, what’s up with the Hoopoe then? Everything, really. A stunningly beautiful bird, decked out in eye-catching patterns and topped up with a regal crown of feathers. Indeed, I struggle to imagine a more dazzling bird in Malaysia.

It was a dream come true to finally see the legendary bird for real. And seeing it in my home country? Just surreal!