Five glossy ibises are spotted in Lishui. [Photo/WeChat account: ls-mnews]

A birdwatcher in Lishui city in East China's Zhejiang province was delighted to find a rare sight when observing a flock of egrets: a small group of glossy ibises, a national first-class protected bird species in China.

The birdwatcher said he spotted the ibises on the morning of April 29, near a farmland in Bihu town, Liandu district. He said he saw some dark-colored large birds feeding in the mud with their curved bills, and recognized them as glossy ibises after taking a closer look.

"Glossy ibises are very rare in Zhejiang. In spring 2021, a small group of them appeared in Jiangshan city, Quzhou and Lanxi city, Jinhua, which almost caused a sensation in the birding community," said Li Xuan, vice-president of Lishui Bird Ecology Protection Association.

"This discovery in Lishui adds one more national first-class protected bird species to the city's list, and also provides a very important observation record for the province," Li added.

Glossy ibises belong to the same family as the famous crested ibis, and have similar long and downward-curved bills. They are named after their iridescent plumage, which shows different colors under different light conditions.

The news of the glossy ibises attracted many bird enthusiasts from Wenzhou, Jinhua, Hangzhou and other places during the recent May Day holiday.