American Avocet Bird – Small Waders – 6/23/2014

The summer breeding American Avocet was photographed at Freezout Lake Wildlife Management Area in Montana

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the American Avocet

Select this link to see panorama photos of Freezout Lake

The American Avocet is a large slim shorebird with a very slender upturned bill that has a striking white-black pattern body, a pinkish tan head and neck, and bluish legs. It has a range of the southwestern Canada, western United States and the southwestern and southern coasts. It has a habitat of beaches, flats, shallow lakes, and prairie ponds. It favors salty lakes more than fresh water. It has a diet of mostly small crustaceans, insects, and some seeds. They often feed walking forward while swing their bills from side to side over the water.