VIDEO - Rare bird spotted near Belfast

A rare water bird was spotted near the Waterworks Park in Belfast recently.
By The Newsroom
Published 12th Dec 2016, 16:01 BST
Updated 14th Dec 2016, 13:52 BST
Little egrets are more common in warmer parts of Europe.Little egrets are more common in warmer parts of Europe.
Little egrets are more common in warmer parts of Europe.

The little egret was spotted near the Cavehill Road entrance to the park by a nature enthusiast out walking their dog.

The nature lover shared video footage of the moment they spotted the bird on social networking site, Twitter.

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Although sightings of little egrets are on the increase in Northern Ireland they are still quite rare.

Little egrets are more common in warmer parts of Europe.Little egrets are more common in warmer parts of Europe.
Little egrets are more common in warmer parts of Europe.

The vast majority of breeding birds are located in southern England and some birds are winter visitors.

The little egret is best described as a small white heron.

The bird lives on a diet of fish but amphibians, small reptiles, mammals and birds are also eaten.

Historical research shows that the little egret was once much more common throughout Ireland and Great Britain but numbers dwindled due to a combination of over-hunting during the Medieval period and climate change.

Related topics:BelfastTwitterNorthern IrelandEnglandIrelandGreat Britain