Aggressive avocet behavior driving off an oystercatcher from its nest area. Feet swishing, see description.

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This 'feet swishing' was a new observation for me. The aggressive avocet wants to drive this oystercatcher away from its nest site and so flies at it at speed dragging a claw through the water which must make quite an alarming sound rushing toward you. During the nesting season avocets (Recurvirostra avosetta) are amazingly aggressive toward any other wildlife coming anywhere near their nest area. I have seen them chase off herons, shellduck, little egrets, great black back gulls and even marsh harriers! I have one image (not usable unfortunately) of an avocet in flight chasing off a marsh harrier and actually pulling at its tail. Some individuals are more aggressive than others, I have seen an avocet try and strike at a passing overhead swallow.

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Size: 5760px × 3840px
Location: N Lincolnshire. UK
Photo credit: © fotolincs / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: aggression., avocette, belon, biodiversity, bird, birds., blanco, brandgans, countryside., de, emblem, lakes., nature., rspb, tadorne, tarro, äbelschnäbler, éégante