Avocet

Distinctive and easily recognizable, this bird displays an elegant form with striking black-and-white feathers, lengthy bluish-gray legs, and a slender bill that curves upward. The curvature is more pronounced in females. Typically found breeding in compact groups, these birds emit loud calls while nesting. Nonbreeding gatherings can reach the hundreds, often foraging in shallow waters by swaying their bills from side to side. They are predominantly seen in coastal marshes, brackish lagoons, and estuaries, but they may venture inland, especially near expansive lakes.