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A glossy ibis. [Photo/IC]

The glossy ibis — a national first-class protected species — has been recorded for the first time in Jiaxing, East China's Zhejiang province, according to the city's ecology and environment bureau on Aug 13.

Glossy ibis has a deep chestnut plumage with green and purple sheen, a dark bill, green-brown legs and bare lead-colored skin around its eyes.

It inhabits warm rivers, lakes, marshes, and sometimes rice paddies — breeding in colonies during spring and laying three to five eggs per clutch.

The bird's range spans southern Europe, Asia, Africa, and Central America —  including parts of Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong in China.

According to a representative of the city's bureau of ecology and the environment, the species' strict requirements for water quality, vegetation, and food chain integrity make this record significant for biodiversity research and understanding its distribution in Zhejiang.

In recent years, other rare species — including the oriental stork, black-faced spoonbill, and Dalmatian pelican — have been recorded in Xiuzhou, Pinghu, Haiyan, and Haining in Jiaxing.

A biodiversity survey completed in 2024 counted 4,465 species in the city, including 302 bird species and 62 nationally protected species. Overall, the frequent appearance of rare wildlife is seen as strong evidence of the city's improving environment.