Although a few of the birds can sometimes be seen near the Sussex coast during their migration from Africa, mainly in the spring, the numbers this year have been exceptional. They started arriving in Ireland and the West Country in March in numbers not seen for at least 25 years, with 80 arriving in one week in March. The reasons for this are unclear, although it is thought that the high pressure to the North East of the country may have had an effect.
With a change in the weather, by the second week of April, birdwatchers were reporting sightings to the Sussex Ornithological Society (SOS) across the county from Chidham and Pagham in the west to the Cuckmere Valley near Seaford in the east. Hoopoes feed mainly on insects and spiders, with their preferred habitat being areas of open grass and farmland. They are not known to have nested in Britain since 2023 and SOS will be keen to find out if they are to do so this year.