Rare Hoopoe bird spotted pottering along streets of Leeds in first sighting for 40 years

The hoopoe, a colourful bird known for its distinctive 'crown' of feathers, is believed to have spent a few days at Nether Poppleton before it was spotted on Millbeck Green in Collingham.

Hoopoes are found across Asia, Africa and Southern Europe but are a rare sighting in the UK.

Around 100 overfly their migration to Spain and Portugal each year, ending up on British coasts.

RSPB optics volunteer Dave Ward believes this is the first sighting of the bird in Leeds for more than 40 years, after it was last recorded at the RSPB St Aidan's site.

Dave captured a picture of the stunning bird in Collingham on Tuesday, where it was seen pottering along the street and eating ants and insects from the roadside.

Bird watchers have flocked to Millbeck Green and sighted the lone hoopoe again on Wednesday morning.

Dave said: "We think this one has spent a few days at Nether Poppleton near York, before turning up at Millbeck Green in Collingham this Monday.

"It's already been seen there again this morning - just walking along the street, eating ants and insects from the roadside and pavement.

"Collingham is becoming a hotspot for birders, as a couple of months ago there was a rare Rosy Starling just off Jewitt Lane at the eastern side of the village."