The Eurasian hoopoe, the upupa epops, is a small bird with a long, curved beak, spreading crown and broad striped wings known for its whooping call. These migratory birds forage for insects and nest in the crevasses of tall trees, cliffs, and rocks. Their elegant, distinctive form appears as a design element in numerous ancient cultures and can be found among the decorative paintings and as tiny cutout figures in the Shōsō-in.