Rare glossy ibis spotted in SW China's Yunnan

A glossy ibis (left), a national first-class protected bird species, forages with a great egret in a wetland of Dianchi Lake in Jinning district, Kunming city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo/Li Jiming)

Photographs of a glossy ibis, a rare bird species, were captured by a bird watcher in a wetland of Dianchi Lake in Jinning district, Kunming city, southwest China's Yunnan Province on Nov. 17.

When it was sighted, the bird was seen foraging with a great egret in a water lily pond in the wetland.

This is the fourth time that the rare bird was spotted in Dianchi Lake in six years. Ten glossy ibises were found there for the first time on Jan. 21, 2017.

The glossy ibis, which is under first-class state protection in China, was once thought to be extinct in the country.

Feathers cover most of the bird’s surface. Much of the bird’s body is maroon in color, with the wing coverts presenting metallic green and bronze colors.