. . comprise the singular family Recurrirostridde,so named because of the peculiar, flattened, upturned beaksof the Avocets. This is a small family in which the front toesare webbed or partly webbed and the legs, particularly in theStilts, are exceedingly long and slender, but nevertheless thebirds are handsome and graceful. The Avocets have the bodyflattened and the plumage thick and Duck-like. The bills of Avocets seem to vary somewhat in form, if wemay judge from dried skins and the drawings of have a clean upw
. . comprise the singular family Recurrirostridde,so named because of the peculiar, flattened, upturned beaksof the Avocets. This is a small family in which the front toesare webbed or partly webbed and the legs, particularly in theStilts, are exceedingly long and slender, but nevertheless thebirds are handsome and graceful. The Avocets have the bodyflattened and the plumage thick and Duck-like. The bills of Avocets seem to vary somewhat in form, if wemay judge from dried skins and the drawings of have a clean upward curve; others have a slight doublecurve, as is represented in the illustration of the Avocet onthe next page. Some Stilts have the bill nearly straight,while others show a distinct upward curve. The birds of thisfamily have the feet more or less webbed, and swim well. 1 Baird, S. F., Brewer, T. M., and Ridgway, R.: Water Birds, 1884, Vol. I, p. 338.~ Mackay, George H.: Auk, 1891, p. 120. BIRDS HUNTED FOR FOOD OR SPORT. 231 AVOCET (Recurvirostra americana). Length. —- Very variable, 16 to 20 inches; front toes webbed. Adult. — Back and most of wings black; remainder of plumage white,excepting head and neck, which are mainly cinnamon brown in summerand pale gray in winter, and tail, which is pearl gray; legs blue, muchof webs flesh color; bill black, long and upcurved; iris red or brown. Young. — Similar to winter plumage of adult. i Notes. —A musical, loud flee-eek, hurriedly repeated (Chapman). Click-click-click (Brewer). Range. — North America. Breeds from eastern Oregon, central Albertaand southern Manitoba (rarely north to Great Slave Lake) south tosouthern California, southern New Mexico, northwestern Texas, north-ern Iowa and central Wisconsin; winters from southern California andsouthern Texas to southern Guatemala; casual from Ontario and NewBrunswick to Florida and the West Indies, but rare east of MississippiRiver. the first years of the ninete
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