A spectacular green duck has been spotted in the wild in Kent.

Sadie Macintyre-Randall spotted the magnificent water bird - believed to be a Cayuga duck - while walking along the River Stour in Canterbury on Sunday.

She took to Facebook today to share a photo of the creature, writing: "This beautiful duck is still hanging around along the river. I was delighted to spot him!"

It is not the first time Cayugas have been spotted in Canterbury.

Several people have responded to Ms Macintyre-Randall's post, saying they too have sighted the impressive-looking duck.

And in a post on the RSPB's wildlife forum in May, a user named Paul reported seeing a pair of them together.

"I got accosted by a gang of ducks earlier near a river in the centre of Canterbury, and there were two unusual looking ones that I'd not seen before," he wrote.

"I've never seen them here before, or anywhere else for that matter."

Cayugas are an American breed of domestic duck, which take their name from Lake Cayuga in New York State.

The British Waterfowl Association says the Cayuga's "fabulous beetle-green lustre" is caused by refraction of light on the structure of its black feathers.

Both male and female Cayuga ducks have the same shimmering plumage, but drakes can be distinguished by their curly tail feathers.

British charity Rare Breeds Survival Trust describes the birds as "generally quite calm and easy going".

In America, they are listed under 'watch' on The Livestock Conservancy’s Conservation Priority List, meaning there are fewer than 5,000 breeding birds in the US, and fewer than 10,000 worldwide.

But little is known about the number currently living in the wild in the UK.

While the provenance of the birds spotted in Canterbury is unknown, it is believed they may have been released into the wild by an owner.

The RSPB has been approached for more information.

Escaped animals, unusual finds and news from the RSPCA can all be found here.

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