Photo: El Golli Mohamed / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Pied Avocet
Recurvirostra avosetta
Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Africa.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) is a member of the Recurvirostridae family found in Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 304 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Recurvirostridae Stilts, Avocets
- Genus Recurvirostra
- Species avosetta
Where it lives
Inland and coastal southern British Isles, Iberian Pen., far southern Scandinavia (northwest to southwestern Europe) and southwestern Russia to Transbaikalia (northeastern Russia) and northeastern China south through northern Middle East, central Asia to east-central Afghanistan, Sind and Kutch (coastal Pakistan and northwestern India); eastern and southern Africa
Quick facts
- Weight
- 304 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Recurvirostridae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Pied Avocet hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Pied Avocet is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) is a species of stilts, avocets in the family Recurvirostridae, order Charadriiformes. It is found in Africa, Europe & Northern Asia — inland and coastal s British Isles, Iberian Pen., far s Scandinavia (nw to sw Europe) and sw Russia to Transbaikalia (ne Russia) and ne China s through n Middle East, c Asia to ec Afghanistan, Sind and Kutch (coastal Pakistan and nw India); e and s Africa.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Pied Avocet?
The Pied Avocet is a large bird that weighs around 304 g.
Where does the Pied Avocet live?
The Pied Avocet is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering AF, PAL inland and coastal s British Isles, Iberian Pen., far s Scandinavia (nw to sw Europe) and sw Russia to Transbaikalia (ne Russia) and ne China s through n Middle East, c Asia to ec Afghanistan, Sind and Kutch (coastal Pakistan and nw India); e and s Africa, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Pied Avocet belong to?
The Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) belongs to the Recurvirostridae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Pied Avocet eat?
The Pied Avocet hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Pied Avocet migrate?
The Pied Avocet is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Pied Avocet endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Pied Avocet make?
1 real field recording of the Pied Avocet — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Pied Avocet's range?
The Pied Avocet has a mapped global range of about 17.1 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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