Sacred Ibis Roost

In our travels through parts of Italy earlier this year (2025), we spent a couple of days at Oasi ca’di Mezzo, near Padova. Birding Places describes it as “a true oasis of biodiversity in the surrounding agricultural desert. Right by the Bacchiglione River, 30 hectares of agricultural land were re-flooded to maximise the self-purifying capacities of the river. The area not only acts as a natural purifier of polluted river water, but it also hosts many birds.”
It does not, however, mention the roost of Sacred Ibis, Night Heron, Cattle Egret, Grey Heron, Cormorant and Pygmy Cormorant. The spectacle of these birds flying off their roost at sunrise and coming back in at sunset is no less stunning than watching the Starling murmerations at home on the Somerset Levels. The difference is that we watched the spectacle in Italy alone whilst the Starlings are watched by thousands of people every year.

What is the future of the Sacred Ibis in Europe? It is not a native species and that is where the problem apparently lies. The natural world has been well and truly turned on its head by man so if a species has become extinct in its home country surely that species has to be allowed to establish itself wherever it can find a home.

The first image below is of two Sacred Ibis on a field beside the reserve, the following images were taken mostly after sunset, as the birds were flying in to roost in the trees. It was a thoroughly enjoyable challenge. I hope you can get a sense of how exceptional this experience was and how amazing it felt to be there watching.