Kind villagers rescued a migratory bird that fell from the sky during hot weather in Thailand.

Passer-by Anan Inthongkaew found the creature, believed to be a Malayan night heron, exhausted after landing near his home in Moo 6 village in Phatthalung province on April 17.

He said: 'I have lived here for over 40 years and I have never seen such a strange-looking bird. I think it's not a native bird here in this province.'

The bird had reddish-brown plumes, a relatively shorter bill compared to most herons, and a tuft of black feathers on its head.

Residents believe it had fallen due to the scorching heat, compounded by the toxic haze clouding parts of Thailand.

Anan has nursed the bird back to health, and it flew away after regaining its strength.

The Malayan night heron is a solitary bird found in southern and eastern Asia. It has a large range, with a distribution of up to 1.2 million square kilometres. It is usually found in forests and streams.