Avocet call: Lars Edenius, Xeno-Canto
Avocet
Avocet
Recurvirostra avosetta
A wading bird which can be found throughout the year in coastal lagoons and estuaries. They breed on the east coast and spend the winters on the south and west coasts. You can also find breeding pairs in the New Forest at sites such as Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes, and North Solent NNR.
All about the avocet
Avocet are the emblem of the RSPB and its reintroduction in the 1940s is one of the most successful conservation projects in the UK. They are easily recognised by their upturned bills which they use to feed on aquatic insects, crustaceans, and worms by sweeping side-to-side through the water.
Conservation status
Did you know?
Once extinct in the UK, they were able to recolonise during the Second World War when beaches in East Anglia were flooded to protect the country from invasion.
