Avocet Recurvirostra avocetta feeding at Cley Nature reserve Norfolk

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Avocets have long legs and long, thin, upcurved bills (giving their scientific name Recurvirostra) which they sweep from side to side when feeding in the brackish or saline wetlands they prefer. The 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. They nest on the ground in loose colonies. In estuarine settings they may feed on exposed bay muds or mudflats. The Pied Avocet is the emblem of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

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Size: 3343px × 5018px
Location: Norfolk, United Kingdom
Photo credit: © Ernie Janes / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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