Spoonbills rebound as UK farmers bolster tree cover and wetlands

Spoonbills have spread across the UK and colonies can be found in eight locations. Photograph: Chris Radburn/PA

With their striking long beaks and elegant white plumage, the spoonbill looks like it belongs somewhere far more exotic than the windswept saltmarshes of the UK.

But the large wading bird is enjoying a boom in numbers as landowners across the country improve wetland habitats and tree cover.