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AMERICAN AVOCET Recurvirostra americana
The American Avocet has long bluish colored legs and lives by the shore and it's long, thin beak curves upward. The American Avocet has black and white stripping on its back and sides. During the mating season, their head, chest and neck are pink in color and during the winter their head and neck turns to a dusty white color. As adults the bird stands about 15 inches tall because of its very long blue gray legs. The color of the Avocet's bottom and tail is white. Both the male and female have similar color and markings. The space between its eyes and beak and around its eyes are white. The Avocet has a white back, chest, stomach and tail. Along the border of their white shoulder feathers are two long, black stripes. The outsides of its wings are black and the inside is white with a black bar through the middle. A similar species of bird is the Black Necked Stilt. The chicks of the Avocets are grey on their back and white below with bold black dorsal lines or patches. Avocets have elaborate courtship displays that include various actions and posturing. Courtship displays include wading, bowing, crouching and dancing with their wings spread. After the courtship display ends, the prostrated female stretches out her head, neck and wings so the male can mount her. They nest in groups of five to ten pair of birds from April to June. Nests are hollows in the sand or raised area of grass always near water, usually on small islands or boggy shorelines where access by predators is dificult. Their nests are often saucer shaped platforms of plant stems.If the water rises the pair will raise the nest up to twelve inches or more as necessary to keep the eggs above water. They raise the nest by adding small branches, weeds, bones and feathers found along the shoreline. During the nesting duration, Avocets become hostile toward intruders. They take on different ploys until they drive the interloper away. These ploys include noisy cries of displeasure or a begging for mercy act. Also they use the ailing bird act and the Avocet will dive bomb the intruder by swooping down on the predator. American Avocets ordinarily inhabit mud flats, in salty lakes, saltwater marshes, in fresh water lakes and ponds and on coastal bays. One nesting ground is in the Great Basin Region of the Western United States. Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article AMERICAN AVOCET in Birding is owned by Fred J. Kane. Permission to republish AMERICAN AVOCET in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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