The American Avocets (Recurvirostra americana) is a large wader.
Description:
The adult American Avocets is about 45 cm (18 inches) tall.
It has long, thin, grey leg. The long, thin bill is upturned at the end.
The plumage is black and white on the back with white on the underbelly. The neck and head are cinnamon-colored in the summer and gray in the winter.
Breeding / Distribution:
The breeding habitat is marshes, beaches, prairie ponds, and shallow lakes in the mid-west and on the Pacific coast of North America.
The American Avocet nests on open ground, often in small groups, sometimes with other waders. A pair will rear one brood per season, with both male and female providing parental care for the young.
This migratory species mostly winters on the southern Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Mexico and the United States.
Diet / Feeding:
The American Avocet forages in shallow water or on mud flats, often sweeping its bill from side to side in water as it seeks its crustacean and insect prey.
