Avocet

🔍 Overview

Striking and elegant, the Avocet is a rare but iconic wader in Sussex, most commonly spotted at coastal wetlands and saltmarshes. With its upturned bill and bold black-and-white plumage, it’s a conservation success story in the UK.

🪶 Key Identification Features

Size: Medium (43–45 cm)

Plumage: Clean black and white

Distinctive Marks: Black cap, upturned bill

Bill: Long, slender, upward-curving

Tail: Short

Flight: Graceful with long trailing legs

🗺️ Habitat & Distribution

Most likely seen at Sussex coastal sites, especially in spring and summer.

🎶 Voice & Behaviour

Calls are sharp and fluty, often described as “kluit-kluit.” Forages by sweeping its bill side to side through shallow water.

🍴 Diet

Feeds on small aquatic invertebrates like insects, worms, and crustaceans.

📸 Birding Tip

Visit coastal wetlands at high tide roosts or spring breeding time. Look for them wading in groups, often accompanied by other waders.