American Avocets

Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota. Always exciting to see American Avocets – elegant - large shorebirds with a bold black and white pattern on its back, long bluish legs, and a long, thin, upwardly curved bill. The bill of the female is shorter and slightly more upturned than that of the male. The underparts of males and females are white, and breeding adults have buffy-orange plumage on the head and neck. Heads and necks are gray to whitish in non-breeding adults (September to February) and pale pinkish-orange in juveniles.

This flock consists of non-breading adults and juveniles getting ready to head south for the winter.
My previous encounter with Avocets was a breeding population at Owen's lake California. https://youtu.be/6boRwuDpeJ0at Owen's lake California. https://youtu.be/6boRwuDpeJ0

American Avocets occupy shallow freshwater habitat in open country. They typically feed in open water 5 to 10 inches deep, but they also swim regularly in water too deep for wading. Highly productive alkaline ponds and lakes are ideal for foraging.

American Avocets often forage by sweeping their long bills from side to side with the tip of the bill, which is extremely sensitive to touch, barely submerged in water. They also feed visually by capturing prey from the surface of mud or water, by plunging their heads into water, and by snatching insects from the air.

Small crustaceans and insects make up the majority of their diet. American Avocets also occasionally eat small fish and seeds.
Filmed with Canon SX70HS on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/2QftDPd
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