And he took attendance of the birds and said, ' Why do I not see the hoopoe

27-Surah An-Naml (The Ants ) 20

And he took attendance of the birds and said, ‘ Why do I not see the hoopoe - or is he among the absent?

﴿20﴾وَتَفَقَّدَ الطَّيْرَ فَقَالَ مَا لِيَ لَا أَرَى الْهُدْهُدَ أَمْ كَانَ مِنَ الْغَائِبِينَ

Quran's Tafhim ( explanation)

*27) That is, the birds whose troops, as mentioned above, were included in the armies of Prophet Solomon like the troops of the men and jinns. It is just possible that the Prophet Solomon had employed them for communicating messages, hunting and performing other such services.