40 - 51 cm
272 - 470 g
9-10 years
insects, crustaceans, small fish
Least Concern
Loading map...
Unknown • Unknown Country
Updated from eBird data on 2025-01-11
The American Avocet is a large wading bird with a distinctive slender, upturned bill and long, thin legs. Its plumage is primarily white with striking black and white patterns on its back and wings during breeding season, transitioning to a more grayish tone in the winter. The neck and head are cinnamon-colored in the breeding season, becoming gray in the non-breeding season. Males and females look similar, but females have a slightly shorter and more curved bill.
American Avocets are social birds, often found in large flocks. They breed in loose colonies. Their foraging is characterized by sweeping their bills side to side in shallow water to catch small aquatic prey. They are migratory, traveling between breeding sites in North America's interior and coastal wintering grounds.
Active during the day (Diurnal)
Their calls include a sharp, high-pitched 'kleet' given during flight or when alarmed. During breeding season, they produce a variety of other sounds as part of their courtship rituals.