Entomologist George McGavin remembers the first time he saw a hoopoe, an occasional visitor to the UK. The hoopoe is largely insectivorous, and watching it forage for crickets and grasshoppers, and probe deep into the soil for larvae, reminded George just how important insects are for the survival of the majority of birds.

Produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio in Bristol.

This programme features audio by Olivier Swift from Xeno-Canto (Eurasian Hoopoe - XC697952).