Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Hoopœ

HOOPŒ, a bird forming the type of a family generally classed with the bee-eaters or the honey-eaters, but also with the hornbills. The European hoopœ (U. epops) is about 12 inches long; it has a fine crest of pale cinnamon-red feathers, tipped with black; upper surface on the whole ashy-brown; wings black, the coverts having white bars; throat and breast pale fawn; abdomen white, with black streaks and dashes. It has a very wide range, from Burmah to the British Islands and Africa.