White-headed Wood Hoopoe

White-headed Wood Hoopoe

Phoeniculus bollei

Silhouette: Jon Hill (Photo by DickDaniels: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Green_Woodhoopoe_RWD7.jpg) · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Nyungwe National Park

In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%

291 Verified sightings at Nyungwe National Park From 2019 to 2026
834 In all 4 parks
January Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the White-headed Wood Hoopoe

The white-headed wood hoopoe (Phoeniculus bollei) is a species of bird in the family Phoeniculidae. The bird's scientific species name bollei honors Carl August Bolle (1821–1909), a German naturalist and collector. Phoeniculus bollei jacksoni (Hartlaub, 1858) — Ruwenzori Mountains to Sudan and Kenya

Phoeniculus bollei bollei — from Liberia to the Central African Republic Phoeniculus bollei okuensis (Serle, 1949) — Cameroon (Lake Oku) Phoeniculus bollei can be found in Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. These birds inhabit from sea level up to 3,200 m (10,500 ft), mainly in savannas and dry lowland and in montane primary forest, but they are also found in regenerating forests, as well as in deciduous woodlands.

Phoeniculus bollei can reach approximately a body length of 30–35 cm (12–14 in). The female is smaller and has a much shorter bill. These birds show a combination of a white head, a slightly curved bright red beak and red legs and... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Call1:27

Kenya · 2024

© Peter Boesman · XC948328 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Song0:48

Kenya · 2015

© Rory Nefdt · XC398520 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Call0:17

Uganda · 2018

© Bram Vogels · XC430384 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~20%
2 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~20%
3 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
4 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a White-headed Wood Hoopoe in Nyungwe National Park?

Possible

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a White-headed Wood Hoopoe sighting in Nyungwe National Park on a given day, based on 291 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 61st most-seen of the 252 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a White-headed Wood Hoopoe in Nyungwe National Park?

January, July and September

In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a White-headed Wood Hoopoe in Nyungwe National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April, the lowest month.

What time of day is best to see a White-headed Wood Hoopoe?

Between 8 and 11 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most White-headed Wood Hoopoe sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Nyungwe National Park the best place to see a White-headed Wood Hoopoe?

Among the best

Of the 4 parks where we can rate White-headed Wood Hoopoe sightings, Nyungwe National Park ranks 2nd at about 20%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Uganda, about 20%).

Where does the White-headed Wood Hoopoe sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the White-headed Wood Hoopoe is recorded against all the birds logged in Nyungwe National Park (291 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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