Watercolor portrait of American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)

American Avocet

Recurvirostra americana
Widespread and fairly common in western… Look for it in shallow wetlands: salt po… Fairly Common Courtship call

Learn to identify the American Avocet by ear. Master the "kleeet, kleeet, kleeet!" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.

“kleeet, kleeet, kleeet!”

What the American Avocet sounds like

A striking shorebird with long blue-gray legs, a needle-thin bill that curves up at the tip, and bold black-and-white wings. In spring, the head and neck glow warm cinnamon, and on the water it often feeds by sweeping that elegant bill side to side like a tiny scythe.

“kleeet, kleeet, kleeet!”

How to tell it apart

Listen for:A bright, ringing series of calls given during displays and social excitement around breeding wetlands. It carries well over open water and mudflats. Often written as “kleeet, kleeet, kleeet!”.
Don't confuse with:The Black-necked Stilt — black-necked stilts are slimmer and even more stilt-legged, with a straight needle bill instead of an upturned one.

Where you'll hear it

Look for it in shallow wetlands: salt ponds, alkali lakes, prairie marshes, mudflats, and coastal lagoons. It likes open water with wide sightlines and skinny water it can wade through easily.

Spring and summer birds are the showstoppers, with rich cinnamon on the head and neck. In fall and winter, they fade to softer whites and grays but keep the same crisp black-and-white wings and upturned bill.

Similar species

Black-necked Stilt

Black-necked Stilts are slimmer and even more stilt-legged, with a straight needle bill instead of an upturned one.

Marbled Godwit

Marbled Godwits are chunkier, buffier brown, and have a longer bill that turns slightly upward only near the tip.

Willet

Willets are heavier shorebirds with a straight, thicker bill and plain gray-brown bodies for much of the year.

American Avocet song FAQ

What does an American Avocet sound like?
A bright, ringing series of calls given during displays and social excitement around breeding wetlands. It carries well over open water and mudflats. Listen for the "kleeet, kleeet, kleeet!" phrase.
How do I tell an American Avocet from a Black-necked Stilt by sound?
Black-necked Stilt: Black-necked Stilts are slimmer and even more stilt-legged, with a straight needle bill instead of an upturned one.; On mainland North American birds, the pattern is black above and white below, with a white face around the eye — not the avocet’s warmer head and boldly patterned wings.; Stilts tend to look sharper and more high-contrast overall, while avocets look softer-bodied and more sweep-billed..
When is the best time to hear an American Avocet?
Spring and summer birds are the showstoppers, with rich cinnamon on the head and neck. In fall and winter, they fade to softer whites and grays but keep the same crisp black-and-white wings and upturned bill.