The Countess of Wessex almost had her sunglasses knocked off by a friendly Caribbean island bird on her tour of an aviary.

Sophie was invited to see the St Vincent and the Grenadines’ national bird, the Amazona guildingii, as part of her visit to the botanical gardens in the country on Saturday.

As she entered the aviary, the countess was unaware of one bird resting on the cage above her.

Before she was followed into the enclosure by her husband the Earl of Wessex, it swooped down just over the top of her head, forcing her to immediately duck down.

Her sunglasses fell forwards onto her face to the sound of laughter from those present.

Sophie did eventually get used to the Amazona guildingii, and by the end of her tour of the aviary, she was feeding them from the palm of her hand.