• If the bird cannot escape a predator, it hides on the ground, pressing itself against it with its entire body and spreading its wings to blend into the surroundings.

The young Eurasian hoopoe is covered in down, with stripes appearing on its feathers later; after a period of rapid growth, the young have a crest that is smaller than that of adults. An adult Eurasian hoopoe possesses a long, thin beak that curves slightly downwards for foraging in soil, and has a large crest of feathers on its head which rises when agitated or during courtship. The species also has a tail with a black-and-white pattern, aiding in flight control, and wings with bright black-and-white stripes which are clearly visible in flight.