American avocet

American avocet photographed in Manitoba

Few shorebirds look as elegant as an avocet wading through a shallow prairie wetland, its long blue-grey legs lifting in slow, deliberate steps. In the breeding season the head and neck glow a soft cinnamon, and the thin, upturned bill sweeps from side to side just under the surface. They are uncommon in Manitoba, which makes a sighting feel like a small gift.

Avocets feed by sweeping that curved bill through the water to snap up tiny insects and crustaceans. They nest in loose colonies on bare, open ground near shallow wetlands, and the chicks can walk and feed themselves within hours of hatching. When a predator comes near, the adults dive-bomb it with loud, sharp calls. Most spend the winter along the Gulf Coast and in Mexico.

I love the long upturned bill and rusty head of an American avocet, and how elegantly it sweeps through shallow water.

Want to learn more about the American avocet and where it lives? Visit its page at All About Birds.

Field notes in photographs

  • American avocet photographed in Manitoba
  • American avocet wading through rippled blue water with its long upturned bill, Manitoba
  • American avocet standing on one leg in shallow water
  • American avocet wading with a raised leg
  • American avocet adult with a chick
  • American avocet wading with its reflection
  • American avocet standing guard over a chick
  • American avocet chick walking through low plants

American avocet Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the american avocet in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the american avocet nests, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the american avocet in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Boreal Plains and the Prairies (gold). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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