Pied Avocet

Recurvirostra avosetta

Common & widespread with 1,900 breeding pairs in Britain.

Winters on estuaries in Southern England, Southern Europe & South Africa.

Adults have a striking black-and-white plumage, with a black cap extending to the back of the neck.

The primaries are black, with the base of the inner primaries white, while the secondary coverts are dark grey.

Chicks are covered in pale grey-brown down, finely speckled with black, with black patterns on the head, four rows of black spots on the back, and a white underbelly tinged yellowish at the neck and belly.

Juveniles have dingy grey wing coverts, with back and scapular feathers vermiculated with reddish-brown.

The call is a plut-plut-plutt or klup-klup-klup.