More than 500,000 birds are expected to cross the Straits of Gibraltar over the next few days, as their annual migration to Africa begins in earnest.

According to the co-ordinator of Ceuta's Chagra bird-watching group and member of the Spanish Ornithology Society (SEO/Birdlife), José Navarrete, 'the end of summer sees most birds of prey migrate, and now the smaller species, like the honey buzzard and the booted eagle are setting off to spend the winter months south of the Sahara'.

Apart from the usual small birds of prey, a new species, not spotted until now, has been recorded making the journey.  Known as the 'glossy ibis', it belongs to the heron family and is slightly smaller than a stork.

Most seabirds travel south during the months of October and November, with the well-known mass migration of Cory's shearwaters due at the end of October.

The migration of this species from the Mediterranean is one of the main reasons Ceuta has been included as one of the important areas of Spain in a new catalogue of seabirds that is being collated on a national basis.

Over the next few days the skies over the Straits will be filled with storks, kites, booted eagles and other birds of prey on their way to spend the winter months in warmer climes.

The 'Migres' Foundation estimates that some 30,000,000 birds of different species cross the Straits of Gibraltar twice a year on the migratory route.