Pied Avocet

Recurvirostra avosetta

Genus · Avocets Family · Stilts and Avocets
Observation tips Difficulty: EASY
Best time
🕒 Any
Activity
♾️ Any
Best months
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Observation habitat
Lake wetlandsMuddy marginsWater edges

Look for the 'scything' motion of the bill in shallow water. Their black-and-white pattern is easy to spot from a distance.

Pied Avocet
Stats
Wingspan67–80 cm
Weight225–400 g
Length42–46 cm
Lifespan wild10–25 yrs
Size
XS
S
M
L
XL
Nesting
Nest typeScrape
Clutch size3–4 eggs
Incubation23–25 days
Breeding months
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Regional Status (Europe)
LC
Least Concern (Europe)
IUCN Red List
MigrationPartial migratory
Social BehaviourColonial

Diet: Carnivore

🦀Crustaceans
🦗Insects
🐚Mollusks

Habitat

🛶 Lake wetlands🌊 Marine🏞️ River🏜️ Scrub wasteland
✦ Fun Fact

The Pied Avocet is a well-known conservation success story. After disappearing as a breeding bird in the UK in the 19th century due to habitat loss, it recolonised the country in the 20th century following targeted protection and habitat restoration."

About

An elegant wader with bold black-and-white plumage. It has long blue-grey legs and a long, thin, upwardly curved black bill. It breeds in colonies on salt pans and coastal lagoons. It is a migratory bird that winters around the Mediterranean.

Behaviour

Avocets wade in shallow water and sweep their bill from side to side. This scything motion helps them filter small crustaceans and insects from the mud using sensitive nerve endings at the bill tip. They are highly protective during breeding and mob potential predators in groups, calling loudly.

Similar species

Black-winged Stilt
🐦
Black-winged Stilt
Himantopus himantopus
Eurasian Oystercatcher
🐦
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegus
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