The wood hoopoes and scimitarbills (family Phoeniculidae) are a family of birds belonging to the order Bucerotiformes, distributed across the Afrotropical realm. All birds in the family show dark metallic plumages with white markings, a long graduated tail and a long down-curved bill. They are mainly arboreal, feeding on insects found on rotten wood and using large trees to roost and nest in holes.

The family comprises 8 species in 2 genera. Birds in the genus Rhinopomastus (4 species) are mostly known as scimitarbills and inhabit savanna and dry throughout Subsaharan Africa forests except for one species dwelling in rainforests of central Africa, which is referred to as a wood hoopoe. All other wood hoopoes belong to genus Phoeniculus (4 species) which is similarly distributed along bush and dry open forests except again for one species also inhabiting rainforests of central Africa.

Mpala River Camp, Laikipia, Kenya, 28 Jan 2024

Green wood hoopoe

Phoeniculus purpureus

Found in a variety of woodlands ranging from dry savanna to riverine forests throughout Subsaharan Africa. This species is extremely social, often traveling in groups of over a dozen individuals. I have seen this species in Kenya.