American Avocet

Recurvirostra americana

Also known as: Neversweat

About This Species

This striking black-and-white shorebird with a long upturned bill and, in breeding season, a rusty-orange head and neck, forages in shallow alkaline lakes, salt ponds, and mudflats across the western and central Americas. Watch for its distinctive side-to-side sweeping bill motion as it sifts small invertebrates from the water's surface, often in loose flocks. Spring and summer bring the most vivid breeding plumage, while migration periods offer the best chance to see large concentrations at productive wetland sites.

Ethical Viewing Guidelines

Stay at least 30 metres from feeding or nesting flocks, since avocets nest on open ground near water and are prone to mass flushing that exposes eggs and chicks to sun, cold, or predators.
Migratory bird and wetland protections apply across its North and Central American range, though specific rules and protected-area boundaries vary by country and state, so confirm local guidance.
Give a wide berth to any group showing agitated calling or distraction displays, a sign a nest or chick is nearby.

LCAvesCharadriiformesRecurvirostridae

Seasonal Activity

1,064,670 sightings · 2000–2026

Citizen science records via GBIF

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Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Recurvirostridae

Photo

CC-BY-NC-4.0

Occurrence data from GBIF.