15-5-2015 EBRO DELTA, TARRAGONA - EURASIAN HOOPOE (Upupa epops)

Unmistakable, with its down-curved bill, black, white and sandy brown plumage – not to mention its crest – this is a striking visitor to our shores, most often encountered in spring but with records from all months.

With a wide breeding range, extending from Portugal in the west to China in the east, the Hoopoe breeds as far north as Estonia.

Occasional pairs have bred here in Britain, although we lack the abundance of grasshoppers, crickets and small lizards that are the favoured prey within its core breeding range.