The word "HUDHUD" bird has been mentioned in the Glorious Qur’an 5 times and the word birds occurs in the Noble Qur’an 13 times. Among the birds, the HOOPOE (hud-hud in Arabic) bird has been specifically mentioned in Surah # 27, An-Naml, twice in the following manner: And he sought among the birds and said: How is it that I see not the hoopoe, or is he among the absent? Surah 27: 20(Ayah) But the Hoopoe tarried not far: he compassed (territory) which thou has not compassed and I have come to thee from Saba with tidings true. Surah 27: 22(Ayah} The hoopoe (hud-hud) is an elegant bird, which is related to the hornbill. It gets its unusual name from its shrill call of “hoops, which rings clear and far and is repeated two or three times. Often the cry is cut off very short. This may be caused by the bird’s bill sharply striking the ground at the end of note. It is one of Old World nonpasserine birds. Its scientific name is “Upupaepops” (family Upupidae, of the roller order, Coraciiformes). King—fishers, bee—eaters, rollers, hoopoes and hornbills are collectively referred to a roller—like birds. There are about seven species of hoopoe. It is a widely distributed bird of British Isles, Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. It exists in the temperate and tropical regions of the Old World. This is a small bird about 12 inches long, the size of a large thrush or mynah, and has short legs with heavy feet and powerful claws. It has a handsome erectile semicircular crest (large crown of feathers tipped with black that constantly opens and closes on the head). This crest of black tipped feathers on the head is the most striking feature of the Hoopoe (hud-hud). It is colored fawn or cinnamon with black and white stripes on the back, wings and tail. The upper part of its body is a pale brown, with wings of black striped with white. The underparts are buff, streaked with black. The black tail has one broad stripe of white. These bands are clearly seen when the bird is in flight. The short legs it has are well adapted for walking. The tail too is not very long, black with a white central bar. The beak is long, slender and slightly down curved. It is long and fanshaped with feathers that increase in length from front to back. When feeding, the crest is closed. When alarmed or excited, the crest is unfurled and opens out like a fan. The hoopoe’s (hud-hud) call is soft and musical, repeated every couple of seconds. Because of this sound it makes the bird got its name in many languages. For example in English it becomes ‘hoopoe’, in Persian and Urdu it is “hud”. The bird can soar quite high to escape birds of prey. But by and large it prefers to fly just above the ground. The hoopoe prefers the ground to the sky, The hoopoe does not build a nest in the trees. However it utilizes dark holes in trees or cavities in wall or roofs, soil banks or cliffs as nests. An untidy collection of grass, straw, hair and leaves deposited on the floor of the holes makes up the nest. Most of the nests can be found in April and May in Asia. Six to nine eggs are laid on the debris by the female who alone incubates them for 16-19 days. During this period she does not leave the nest and is fed by the male. After the chicks hatch, the mother continues to keep them warm for another eight days. The nestlings remain in the nest for 2-26 days. Prophet Solomon was a king and the ruler of Syria and Palestine whose armies consisted of troops made of men and Jinns and birds. It is possible that the birds were employed for communicating the messages, hunting and for other suitable services. In the Qur’an (27:20) we read that Prophet Solomon reviewed his birds and found Hoopoe (hud-hud) missing. His most mobile arm was the birds, who were light on the wing and flew and saw everything like efficient scouts. Prophet Solomon expresses his anger and his desire to punish Hoopoe severely if he does not present himself before Prophet Solomon with a reasonable excuse. Within a short while Hoopoe returns and says, “ I have obtained knowledge of things which you have no knowledge. I have brought sure information about Saba (a well known rich people of southern Arabia, now the present day Yemen. Their capitol city was Ma’rib which lay about 55 miles to the north­east of Sana, the present capitol of Yemen). There I have seen a woman ruling over her people: she has been given all sorts of provisions, and she has a splendid throne. I saw that she and her people prostrate themselves before the sun, instead of Allah.!" [Source: irfi.org] You also Like more video here- https://youtu.be/Yy0TLd0Njwk If you like this video, Subscribe this Channel for Stay Connected with us. Subscribe here - https://www.youtube.com/user/pickonwall Like us on fb - https://www.facebook.com/pickonwall Follow us - http://www.twitter.com/pickwall Circle us - https://plus.google.com/+Pickwalls

• published: 13 Jul 2015
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