Rare bird in Mayo: Description, origin and how long it will stay

Belcarra village has hit the birdwatchers' spotlight following the sighting of a rare North American bird.

A yellow-crowned night heron has made its way to Mayo where the bird has nestled in the trees above the Belcarra riverside walk.

Sightings of the bird in mainland Europe have been rare, with the only previous sighting recorded in Madeira in Portugal a number of years ago. Remarkably, this is the first time it has been spotted in the UK or Ireland.

Yellow-crowned night heron description

Wikipedia describes the yellow-crowned night heron as a rather stocky wading bird, ranging from 55 to 70 cm and from 650 to 850 g. It has a wingspan ranging from 101 to 112 cm and its body and back are a smooth grey-blue colour, with a black scaled pattern on the wings.

The yellow-crowned night heron has long yellow legs which turn coral, pink or red during courtship. The bird's most characteristic part is its black and glossy head, with white cheeks and a pale yellow crown.

It is unclear how long the heron may stay in Belcarra. One birdwatcher said it has plentiful food in the river and if the bird is exhausted after traversing the Atlantic Ocean, it may stay on in Belcarra for some time.