WATCH the moment a seabird was returned to the wild after being found in an unlikely location.
The Manx shearwater, more commonly seen soaring over the ocean than on land, was discovered in the car park of a pub in Defford, Worcestershire.
Video of the release shows a volunteer throwing the bird off a cliff on the South Wales coastline, with the bird successfully flying off into the distance.
Before being released, the bird was taken to Vale Wildlife Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre, where staff identified it as patient 6812.
A spokesperson for the centre said: “You wouldn’t expect to find a seabird in a pub car park – but that’s exactly where patient 6812 was discovered in Defford.
“Manx shearwaters spend most of their lives at sea.
“Because their legs sit so far back on their bodies, they’re perfectly designed for swimming and flying – but not for walking – so they’re rarely seen on land.
“Thankfully, this little one was brought safely into our care.
“After a thorough assessment, we were pleased to find no injuries, so the very next day it was taken to the South Wales coast.”
After passing a flight test, the bird was released from cliffs along the South Wales coastline.
Manx shearwaters are known for their long-distance migrations, travelling thousands of miles each year.
They breed in burrows on offshore islands around Britain and Ireland and spend most of their lives at sea.
After the breeding season, they migrate to wintering grounds off South America, including waters near Brazil and Argentina.
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