American Avocet, Recurvirostra americana
We are lucky to have the beautiful American Avocet abundantly available year round on southern San Francisco Bay, particularly at Palo Alto Baylands. Above, the breeding plumage; below the non-breeding plumage in winter.
They can make striking patterns when they stand or fly together, which they are more likely to do in migration, as in the pictures above and the two below, passing through the Southern California desert.
Females have slightly longer and more upcurved bills. Below, in winter plumage, the outer two are females, the left inner bird is a male. Above, in breeding plumage, a male.
Above, a winter-plumage American Avocet female in flight; below, another flying female, this one in breeding plumage.
Avocets feed by sweeping their upcurved bills from side to side along or just
below the surface of the water, as shown above.
Female assumes a submissive posture during courtship; male moves around her, preens as shown above, and splashes water on her and on his chest, as shown below. For more illustrations of avocets courting and mating, see the two photos further below, and for two full sequences see here and here.
Above, a male pursuing a female in courtship.
Above, a pair mates; below, after mating, a concluding ritual, as the pair run alongside each other, sometimes with necks or bills intertwined.
After the rituals of courtship and mating, a pair building a nest in the salt-grass.
This incubating female looks down into her nest; she shows a brood patch, with her belly feathers pulled back to expose the skin that helps keep the eggs warm.
A female with her chick, not long out of the egg.
A chick in water, learning to forage.
A chick on a dry mudflat; its camouflaged plumage helps it blend into the surface where it spends much of its time
and is most in danger from predators.