Red-necked avocet

The red-necked avocet (Recurvirostra novaehollandiae) is a bird in the family Recurvirostridae.  It lives in many parts of Australia, not far from the coast. It also lived in New Zealand in the 1800s, but people have not seen it there for a long time.

Appearance

This bird has a red-brown head and neck.  The rest of its body has white feathers except for the bars on the wings and two stripes on the back.  Unlike many other shorebirds, this bird's bill curves upward instead of curving downward or being straight. Its legs are long and blue-gray.  When the red-necked avocet flies, it sticks its legs out behind it instead of tucking them under its body.

Red-necked avocets spend time in the same places as the pied stilt and banded stilt.  For example, they may all look for food in the same place at the same time.

Habitat and food

This bird wades or swims in shallow water.  It catches food by moving its bill side to side in the water.  It eats animals without spines or bones.  It also eats seeds.

Breeding

This bird lays eggs when there is enough rainfall.  Australia does not have the same seasons as other parts of the world, so sometimes the birds go years in between groups of eggs.

Large numbers of birds make nests near each other in a colony.  The nests are small holes dug into the ground.

References

Category:Birds of Australia
Category:Charadriiformes