BIRDS: NONPASSERINES: AVOCETS AND STILTS

American Avocet, Recurvirostra americana

Family Recurvirostridae (Avocets and Stilts)

Size: 18"

Season: Summer

Habitat: Shallow wetlands, marshes

The elegant American avocet has a long, delicate, black, upturned bill and long, thin, blue-gray legs. The upperparts are patterned black and white, the belly is white, and the head and neck are light orange-brown, the face punctuated with black eyes. The bill of the female is slightly shorter than that of the male, with a greater bend. Nonbreeding adults have a pale gray head and neck. Avocets use a side-to-side sweeping motion with their bills to stir up small crustaceans and insect larvae as they wade methodically through the shallows. They may even submerge their heads as the water deepens. They are adept swimmers and emit a wheet! call in alarm. The breeding male, below, and a female, above, are illustrated.