Avocet call: Lars Edenius, Xeno-Canto
Avocet
Avocet
Recurvirostra avosetta
Wingspan: 72-77cm
A striking wading bird found throughout the year in coastal lagoons and estuaries. Avocets breed mainly along the east coast of England and spend the winter on the south and west coasts. In the Solent area, breeding pairs can be seen at sites such as Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes, Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve and North Solent National Nature Reserve.
All about the avocet
The return of the avocet to the UK is one of the country’s great conservation success stories. Once extinct as a breeding bird in Britain, it is now familiar to many as the emblem of the RSPB.
Avocets disappeared from the UK in the 19th century but began nesting again in Suffolk during the Second World War, when flooded and closed beaches created ideal conditions for them. Their return was initially kept secret, with a dedicated team protecting the first successful colony—an effort later taken on by the RSPB.
These elegant birds have bluish‑grey legs, bold black‑and‑white plumage, and a distinctive upturned bill. They feed by sweeping this bill side‑to‑side through shallow water to catch aquatic insects, crustaceans and worms.
Conservation status
They are amber listed in the UK.
Did you know?
Avocets were able to recolonise the UK during the Second World War, when parts of the East Anglian coastline were deliberately flooded as a defence measure – creating the perfect habitat for their return.
