American Avocet

Recurvirostra americana Gmelin, JF, 1789

304 gWeight

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

Busiest months: April · Most records: United States, Canada, Mexico

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

American Avocet has been recorded at 510 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 20 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water RanchUnited States19,648 records
IRWD San Joaquin Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary, IrvineUnited States16,279 records
Bombay Hook National Wildlife RefugeUnited States15,194 records

More places

Estero Llano Grande SP WBCUnited States14,646 records
Willcox – Lake Cochise and Twin Lakes Golf CourseUnited States12,697 records
Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Ctr.United States9,618 records
Antelope Island SP – CausewayUnited States8,592 records
Charleston Slough/Coast Casey ForebayUnited States7,260 records
Palo Alto BaylandsUnited States7,115 records
Henderson Bird Viewing PreserveUnited States6,909 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United States Canada Mexico Belize Cayman Islands Cuba Honduras Bahamas

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The American avocet (Recurvirostra americana) is a large wader in the avocet and stilt family, Recurvirostridae, found in North America. It spends much of its time foraging in shallow water or on mud flats, often sweeping its bill from side to side in water as it seeks crustacean and insect prey.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the American Avocet?

The American Avocet weighs around 304 g.

Where does the American Avocet live?

Its breeding range: North America, Middle America: southeastern British Columbia to southwestern Ontario (south-central Canada) to California, Texas (western, south-central USA) and northern Baja California (northwestern Mexico) to central Mexico. It is most often recorded in United States, Canada and Mexico.

When is the best time to see the American Avocet?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in April (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the American Avocet endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the American Avocet as Least Concern.

What does the American Avocet eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the American Avocet in?

It belongs to the family Stilts, Avocets (Recurvirostridae), order Charadriiformes.

At a glance

Weight: 304 g
Habitat: Wetland
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: Active on the ground
Migration: Partial migrant
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 218 mm
Tail: 82 mm
Bill: 91 mm
Tarsus: 92 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

North America, Middle America: southeastern British Columbia to southwestern Ontario (south-central Canada) to California, Texas (western, south-central USA) and northern Baja California (northwestern Mexico) to central Mexico

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2