[Length 18 in. Wingspan 31 in.]

American Avocets are common breeding birds in freshwater marshes and shallow lakes of the western prairies and surrounding foothills of North America from Washington and Manitoba to California and Texas. They also breed along the eastern US coast in saltwater and brackish marshes from Virginia to Florida. Avocets feed by sweeping their long, upturned bills back and forth through the water as they march along, snapping up whatever food they encounter. This stunning bird, in full breeding plumage, was photographed on its breeding grounds in northern Colorado. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: May 1992)

[Length 18 in. Wingspan 31 in.]

This American Avocet, in dull winter plumage, was photographed at Brigantine NWR in New Jersey. Photo taken with a Soligor 300mm f5.6 lens on Ektachrome 200 film. (Date: November 1977)

[Length 18 in. Wingspan 31 in.]

This American Avocet was photographed at Bolivar Peninsula, TX. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens + Nikkor TC20E II 2.0x Teleconverter (EFL=900mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: April 23, 2007)

[Length 18 in. Wingspan 31 in.]

This American Avocet was photographed at Cheyenne Bottoms, KS. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens + Nikkor TC14E II 1.4x Teleconverter (EFL=630mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: May 4, 2007)

[Length 18 in. Wingspan 31 in.]

This winter plumaged American Avocet was photographed at Shafter Lake, Andrews, TX. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens + Nikkor TC14E II 1.4x Teleconverter (EFL=630mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: October 27, 2008)

[Length 18 in. Wingspan 31 in.]

This winter plumaged American Avocet was photographed at Shafter Lake, Andrews, TX. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: October 27, 2008)

[Length 18 in. Wingspan 31 in.]

This winter plumaged American Avocet was photographed at Shafter Lake, Andrews, TX. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: October 27, 2008)

[Length 17.5 in. Wingspan 31 in.]

This Pied Avocet was photographed at Cley Marshes RSPB Reserve, Norfolk, England. Photo taken with a Nikkor EDAF 300 f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: May 2002)