Stilts and avocets · Shorebirds
Pied Avocet
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Recurvirostra avosetta
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Voice
Alarm
Call
Call
How to recognize it
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Large black-and-white wader
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Long, thin bill sharply upcurved
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Very long bluish legs, projecting well beyond the tail in flight
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Usually on shallow water or mudflats; forages with side-to-side sweeping bill
About the species
The Pied Avocet is easy to remember for its long, slender upturned bill and its clean black-and-white look. On the shore it seems light and neat, and in flight the long legs trail clearly behind the body.
It feeds by sweeping its bill side to side through shallow water, almost as if it is combing the surface. Its call is a clear, repeated whistle, and near the nest it becomes bold and noisy when chasing intruders away.
It favors open salt and brackish shores, lagoons, estuaries, shallow lakes, and salt marshes. It eats aquatic invertebrates, with insects, small fish, and seeds sometimes added to the menu; many populations move south in winter, while some stay year-round.
Where to find
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Along shallow pond edges, canal banks, and brackish lagoons — especially where bare mud is exposed, Pied Avocet wades knee-deep and sweeps its bill side to side.
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On mudflats and sandbanks after the water drops, look for small groups moving briskly along the shore while picking food from the surface.
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On artificial islets, dikes, and empty sandy spits near water, it sits in the open with its neck stretched out, then gives a sharp, fluty alarm call.
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At open shorelines with little tall grass, early morning is best for steady bill-sweeping feeding, almost without pause.
