Pied Avocet, genus Recurvirostra, waders, stilts. near river, Bourton on the water, England, UK
The four species of avocets are a genus, Recurvirostra, of waders in the same avian family as the stilts. The genus name comes from Latin recurvus, 'curved backwards' and rostrum, 'bill'.The common name is thought to derive from the Italian (Ferrarese) word avosetta. Francis Willughby in 1678 noted it as the "Avosetta of the Italians" Avocets have long legs and long, thin, upcurved bills which they sweep from side to side when feeding in the brackish or saline wetlands they prefer. Their plumage is pied, sometimes also with some red. Members of this genus have webbed feet and readily swim. Their diet consists of aquatic insects and other small creatures. Avocets nest on the ground in loose colonies. In estuarine settings, they may feed on exposed bay muds or mudflats. The nest is simply a lining of grass in a hollow in the ground. They lay three or four eggs of a dark greenish or brownish buff color, boldly marked with brown and black. The pied avocet is the emblem of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
Size: 5400px × 3600px
Location: Bourton on the water, England, UK
Photo credit: © DV Wildlife / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: avocet, avocets, bird, bourton, emblem, enblem, mud, mudflats, pied, recurvirostra, river, rspb, sanctuary, stilts, stilts., waders, water, wildlife
