Bird
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Size
42–45 cmSimilar to a small gull
Weight
225–400 gAbout the weight of a large orange
Lifespan
15 years
Rarity
Uncommon
M vs F
Sexes look identical — both striking black and white with a long upcurved bill and blue-grey legs
Habitat
Shallow coastal lagoons, estuaries, saline lakes — needs bare mud or fine gravel for nesting
Best time
April–August on breeding sites; winter on estuaries in SW England
Conservation
UK: Amber
LC
💡 Did you know?
The Avocet is the emblem of the RSPB — it was chosen after a remarkable conservation triumph: extinct as a UK breeding bird for over 100 years, it recolonised Suffolk in 1947 after careful habitat management at Havergate Island
They feed by sweeping their upcurved bill from side to side just under the water surface — a technique called scything — detecting invertebrates by touch rather than sight
Often confused with
Black-winged Stilt (straight bill
very long pink legs
no curves)
Oystercatcher (all orange bill
black and white)
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