Boasting a long, curved bill and iridescent feathers, these heron-like birds are most often spotted along the Mediterranean coast.
But the exotic glossy ibis has begun breeding in Britain, experts have confirmed, with hundreds of birds recorded across Britain and Ireland.
Birdwatchers have reported a huge influx of flocks, with arrivals surpassing all modern species records.
Modest numbers of ibis began arriving earlier this month, most in the south and south-west of England, Birdlife reports.
Since then, more and more have continued to arrive, with 605 registered across the UK on Monday, September 8.
The elegant birds are occasional visitors to the UK, but increased sightings and a confirmed breeding pair in 2022 suggest they could soon be making regular appearances.
The species was considered something of a mega-rare in Britain 25 years ago, but the frequency of records has increased significantly since then, said Josh Jones, editor of Birdwatch magazine.
“The arrival of 17 glossy ibis in Gloucestershire in early May 2007 was seen as a complete shock at the time, but such influxes have since become more common in both spring and autumn.”
The glossy ibis (pictured), which mainly lives in the Mediterranean region, such as Spain and Greece, could soon become a common sight in the UK
Close up the wings, tail and much of the body glow with iridescent green and purple, as seen here
According to the Wildlife Trust , glossy ibis breeding is predicted to become more common as climate change results in drier summers in southwestern Europe and milder winters in Britain.
“Most glossy ibises arrive in the fall, occasionally staying through the winter, although they could be seen in any month,” they said.
“Young birds often appear here, sometimes just a few months after leaving the nest.”
Bird-calling projects allowed experts to track where the guests had travelled from, many from southwest Spain.
The species is usually found in wetlands or damp fields, using their long bill to probe the mud for food.
Their diet is varied and consists of invertebrates such as water beetles and dragonfly larvae, as well as the occasional newt, frog or lizard.
An adult stands up to 65 cm (25.5 in) tall with long legs, a long neck and a long, curlew-like bill. They have a wingspan of up to 105 cm (41 in) and weigh up to 630 g.
Close up, the wings, tail, and much of the body glow with iridescent green and purple.
A juvenile glossy ibis previously spotted in Christchurch, Dorset. There have been hundreds of sightings across the UK so far this month
A glossy ibis feeding in the Carmarthen marshes in southern France. The species is most commonly spotted on the Mediterranean coast
A recent report from the Rare Breeding Bird Panel revealed the first confirmed breeding of the glossy ibis in Britain.
In 2022, a pair raised a chick in a Cambridgeshire wetland, marking a milestone for the species.
“The glossy ibis has become more familiar to birdwatchers following a series of mass arrivals in the 2000s,” the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) said.
“There have been several breeding attempts here, and it’s likely that more regular breeding will be the feature in the future.”
