Wildlife fans have flocked to a Kent beauty spot after an “escaped” exotic bird was spotted.

A scarlet ibis – native to South America and the Caribbean - was seen at Stodmarsh Nature Reserve, near Canterbury.

Pictures have shown the bird mingling with geese and picking at the ground.

It is an eye-catching bright red in colour with a long, curved black beak.

It is thought to have escaped from a zoo or a private collection, but it is not known exactly where it has come from.

Birdwatchers on social media have said another of the species was seen in Dorset this week, but it is not known if it is the same bird.

Scarlet ibis are mostly found in marshes, swamps, lakes and streams in northern South America and further around the coast of Brazil.

They travel in large groups containing thousands of birds and lay three to five eggs in a nest made loosely out of sticks.

They mainly feed on insects, especially scarabs and ground beetles. They also consume shrimp, small crabs, molluscs, and other crustaceans.

This is not the first time one of the colourful creatures has escaped in the UK.

In 2012, one broke free from Edinburgh Zoo and was found three miles away near the city centre.