More than 30 sightings of a very rare visitor to Irish shores have been recorded across Ireland since mid-April.

White Storks are not known to breed in Ireland and are primarily summer visitors to the European continent.

Just 19 previous sightings of the White Stork — the most recent of which occurred in 2021 — have been reported in Ireland to irishbirding.com. Only 17 other recorded reports of the bird’s presence have been made dating back to 2010.

County Cork, an established birdwatching location in Ireland, has recorded the bird on just five occasions in the last 180 years, including in Cloyne (2002), Clonakilty (1995), Youghal (1978), Hop Island (1866), and Fermoy (1846).

The first reported recent sighting of the bird was made by Con O’Shea on private land at Valentia Island, County Kerry, on April 8th.

The bird has since been spotted in Cork City; Coddstown Great and Kilmacanogue in Wexford; Gweedore and Termon in Donegal; Emil in Kilkenny; Dunloy in Antrim; Tullamore in Offaly; Moy in Tyrone; Tallanstown in Louth; and Castleisland in Kerry.

Many White Storks migrate to Africa for the winter, but some remain in southern Europe.
Isolated sightings in Ireland are likely due to accidental overflights or individuals straying from their usual migration routes.

Meanwhile, another bird species that has been spotted hundreds of times across southern counties in recent weeks appears to be returning to more familiar climes.

There have been no reported sightings of Hoopoes in Ireland since the beginning of the month, following an influx of another rare visitor.

A total of 276 sightings of the bird were reported to irishbirding.com in just seven weeks, compared to just 20 sightings for all of 2024.

The first sighting was reported by Sally Bolger on March 8th in Bantry, County Cork, with the final sighting recorded in Youghal, County Cork, on May 3rd.