American Avocet

From Devonshire

The American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) is a large wader in the avocet and stilt family, Recurvirostridae.

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. The long, thin bill is upturned at the end. Their adult size is about 18 inches (45 cm) tall.

Their breeding habitat is marshes, beaches, prairie ponds, and shallow lakes in the mid-west of Devonshire. They nest 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.

They aren't migratory in Devonshire.

These birds forage in shallow water or on mud flats, often sweeping their bills from side to side in water. They mainly eat crustaceans and insects.

Other names in Devonshire

Awl Bird, Upturn Bill Bird