Avocets - Facts for Kids

Avocets eat small insects, crustaceans, worms, and sometimes tiny fish!

An adult avocet can eat up to 60 small crustaceans in just one minute!

Avocets can feed both during the day and at night thanks to their excellent sense of touch!

Avocets sometimes stamp their feet in shallow water to stir up prey!

Avocets can filter tiny food particles through the sides of their beaks like tiny strainers!

Young avocets learn their special feeding technique within their first week of life!

Avocets sometimes work in groups, walking in a line to stir up more food!

Conservation & Population

American Avocets were once threatened by hunting for their beautiful feathers in the early 1900s!

Thanks to conservation efforts, most avocet populations are now stable or increasing!

The biggest threat to avocets today is the loss of wetland habitats!

There are estimated to be over 400,000 American Avocets in the wild!

Protected wetlands have helped avocet populations recover in many areas!

Climate change and drought can affect avocet breeding success by drying up their wetland homes!

Some avocet species are protected by international agreements between countries!

Citizen scientists help track avocet populations during annual bird counts!

Many wildlife refuges have special shallow ponds designed specifically for avocets and other shorebirds!

Avocets help control insect populations in wetland environments!

Fun & Unique Facts

The black feathers on an Avocet’s their wings contain special pigments that resist wear and tear!

Avocets have thousands of tiny nerve endings in their beaks that help them feel movement in the water and catch tiny prey!

Avocets have special oil glands that help keep their feathers waterproof!

Avocet chicks are precocial, meaning they can walk, swim, and feed themselves shortly after hatching.

Avocets can walk backward when necessary!

An avocet’s knees are actually hidden in their feathers — what we see are their ankles!