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RED-NECKED AVOCET FACTS |
Description The Red-necked Avocet is mostly white with reddish-brown head and neck. It has white eye-ring and a long black bill that curves upwards. There are two black streaks along the back. The wings are white, with black wing bars and tips. The legs are long and pale grey. Males and females look alike but the males have a more curved bill.
Size 40 - 45cm
Habitat freshwater and saltwater wetlands, estuaries, tidal mudflats
Food aquatic insects, crustaceans and seeds. It wades in shallow water, sweeping its bill back and forth under the surface to catch food.
Breeding breeds in colonies. The nest is a shallow scrape lined with water plants.
Range found throughout mainland Australia, but not common on east coast. Rare in Tasmania and far northern areas of Northern Territory and Cape York Peninsula, Queensland.
Credits: Map is from Atlas of Living Australia website at https://biocache.ala.org.au licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Classification
Class: | Aves | Order: | Charadriiformes | Family: | Recurvirostridae | Genus: | Recurvirostra | Species: | novaehollandiae | Common Name: | Red-necked Avocet |
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