Wednesday 14 September 2022

American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Recurvirostra ("curved backwards beak") americana ("American")

Post-breeding season moulting American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) at Berkeley, California - August 2022


Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 300-460g  /  Length: 41-51cm  /  Wingspan: 80cm
NO UK STATUS IUCN Red List: Least Concern

White the Pied Avocet of the Old World is a decidedly monochrome bird at any time of year, the American Avocet in its breeding plummage gains a very distinct rusty-golden mane while breeding, which certainly seems to benefit photographing it as my cameras have always had trouble getting the most out of the starkness of the pied. Theyhowever do share that similar distinctie upturned avocet beak which they use to filter aquatic invertibrates from the water.

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Recurvirostridae
Genus: Recurvirostra
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Resident in parts of California, otherwise breeding inland in the Western half of the Lower 48 and Wintering along the Carribbean Coast
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at BerkeleyMonterey and Hayward

 Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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