AVOCETS
Bird     -     Vertebrate      -    Carnivore 
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PIED AVOCET
  • Can weigh 11 to 15 ounces and reach between 16 to 18 inches in length.
  • Wingspan is between 30 and 32 inches.
  • The most distinctive feature on the body of an Avocet is its long, upward curled beak
  • Males have slightly longer beaks than females
  • Unusual beak is specific adaptation to the life in swampy areas
  • Avocets have webbed feet and very long, slender legs which facilitate walking through the shallow water.
  • Are carnivores (meat-eaters) eating mostly insects, worms, crustaceans, mollusks, fish and amphibians
  • Due to their large size, avocets do not have a lot of natural enemies. 
  • Are social animals that live in large flocks. 
  • Will aggressively protect their territory and chase away unwanted (even larger) birds from their home range
  • Nests are made out of the sand, mud, feathers, pebbles and vegetation
  • Female lays between 3 and 5 greenish-brown eggs that will hatch after 23 to 25 days 
  • Young birds are able to walk as soon as they hatch, but they will stay with their parents until they reach the age of 35 to 42 days
  • On average, avocet can survive up to 5 years in the wild
COLLECTIVE NOUN
  1. A colony of advocates