American Avocet

American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) is in the Stilts and Avocets family (Recurvirostridae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 33,982 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.

Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.

When to photograph American Avocet: observations by month (U.S.)

About American Avocet

The American avocet (Recurvirostra americana) is a large wader in the avocet and stilt family, Recurvirostridae. This avocet spends much of its time foraging in shallow water or on mud flats, often sweeping its bill from side to side in water as it seeks its crustacean and insect prey....From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

American Avocet by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related birds (Stilts and Avocets)

Black-necked StiltHimantopus mexicanus

Photography tips

• Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
• Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
• Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
• Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.

FAQ