Rare water bird visitor spotted in part of Scotland for first time

A rare water bird has been spotted in a part of Scotland for the first time after a recent influx elsewhere in the country.

The glossy ibis is usually an infrequent visitor to the UK and is more commonly found in the hot climates of Asia, Africa, South America, Australia and warmer parts of Europe. However, the species has been spotted across the UK more frequently in recent years with a particular influx in 2025.

RSPB Scotland said glossy ibis have been appearing in "never-before-seen numbers" across the nation this year. Seven of the birds were recorded at RSPB Scotland's Baron's Haugh nature reserve in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, on 9 October and another was also spotted this month at RSPB Loch Gruinart nature reserve on the island of Islay.

On 18 October, a glossy ibis was seen at RSPB Lochwinnoch nature reserve for the first time in its history, marking the first recording in Renfrewshire. Dan Snowdon, warden at RSPB Lochwinnoch, said Andrew James was the lucky birdwatcher who spotted it over Barr Loch.

He added: "This was the first ever record for Renfrewshire, which is our second such first of the year after a pair of avocets visited our wetland scrape in the spring." It is thought that milder winters due to climate change may be behind the birds' more frequent appearance in Scotland, though the cause is not yet clear. The glossy ibis, which is slightly bigger than a curlew, is named after its iridescent or "glossy" feathers, which shimmer in shades of green and purple.

The species bred successfully in Cambridgeshire in 2022 but glossy ibis have never been known to make a nesting attempt in Scotland. Read more from Sky News:Gull rescued from UK bin found sunning it up on Moroccan beach Paul Walton, head of habitats and species for RSPB Scotland, said: "Whilst declines in bird populations are all too familiar, every so often a bird species will undergo a rapid population increase and range expansion.

"The collared dove was one species which was rare in Scotland in the early 20th century but is now a common breeder. The glossy ibis looks potentially to be another." He added: "Until recently a rare occurrence in the UK, numbers have been growing and, this autumn, there have been hundreds.

"The birds now being seen in Scotland are in the vanguard of the expansion. "The species has undergone increases in southern and western Europe in recent years.

The causes of this expansion are not yet clear - and time will tell if the species becomes more established in Scotland. "But the records this autumn are remarkable and a new sight to enjoy on RSPB nature reserves and beyond.".