LOOK
WHEN YOU
European Hoopoe
Image found at justbirding.com, Drew Haines
When you look at the European Hoopoe, you see the range of human perspectives that come together to paint a complex picture of the seemingly ordinary.
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By Meg McManus
The European Hoopoe is a bird that is widespread in Europe and western Asia. It is the most common species of the the three contained in the genus Upupa. What distinguishes the European Hoopoe from other birds is the fact that it has immense religious and symbolic value across multiple cultures.
In the Islamic religion, the European Hoopoe was used as both a symbol of the human tendency to jump to conclusions too quickly, as well as our predisposition to see what we expect to see (even if this is not reality). In the Jewish tradition, the European Hoopoe was hated because it was believed to be a disgusting creature, thus representing how different people create their own levels of standards regarding things.
In terms of the cultural aspect, the European Hoopoe was often used as a metaphor in stories that gave insight to human nature and human problems. The most prominent example is found in The Conference of the Birds, in which the birds of the world embark together on a journey to find their one true ruler. Each type of bird represents an aspect of human nature, and many of the birds do not make it to the end because of their own faults. When they finally do reach the valley where they are supposed to see their ruler, they are shocked when they see that it is themselves. In other words, the birds learn that they are in control of their own destinies. The Hoopoe plays the most vital role out of all the birds because it's viewed as the wisest and it encourages all the birds to keep going, thus symbolizing that part of our brain that propels us forward, even when we come across obstacles.
In essence, the European Hoopoe is a bird that showcases the diversity of human opinion, and how all of these varying viewpoints combine together into creating the image of the world as we know it.