American Avocet

American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)

Order: Charadriiformes     Family: Avocets and Stilts (Recurvirostridae)

The American Avocet is a wading bird 46-51 cm long (18-20 in) that eats insects, crustaceans, and invertebrates.  It ranges throughout most of the western United States, into southern Canada, and south throughout most of Mexico. Both sexes incubate the eggs and the young leave the nest within 24 hours of hatching. In winter, the head and neck change to a gray coloration. 

Woe to the predator that come close to a nesting Avocet. They can be very aggressive when defending their nests, sometimes even physically striking the predator.