A regular visitor to East Gippsland and currently found in high numbers in Jones Bay Reserve, is the Red-necked Avocet.
These birds live and breed in central Australia but when it’s dry they migrate to Victorian coastal wetlands.
A distinctive shorebird with a very long and dramatically up-curved black bill, they appear fragile, slender and elegant.
They have a dark red head and neck, narrow white eye ring and a red-brown iris.
The primary wing feathers and the small feathers covering the secondaries are black, with remaining plumage being white.
Their legs are a pale grey-blue. Males and females are similar in colouring and size.
Native to Australia, they are fairly widespread throughout, other than in north and northeast coastal areas of the country.
Like many waterbirds, they are highly nomadic due mainly to the high variation in rainfall, moving around the continent in search of suitable habitat.
They prefer salt or brackish water and are generally found in shallow wetland areas that are either fresh or salt, or on estuarine mudflats.
Their diet mainly consists of small invertebrates (aquatic insects, their larvae and crustaceans) plus seeds scooped from the shallows by sweeping their slender up-curved bills from side to side through the water surface and underlying mud.
Unlike other shore birds, they will swim readily, enabling them to upend like a duck and continue feeding. Juveniles are often limited to small insects and seeds until their bill is more developed, consuming food with a pecking action rather than the water skimming done by adults.
Found mostly in loose colonies during the breeding season of August-November, they generally disperse into smaller flocks for the rest of the year, though sometimes they are found in large congregations.
From time to time, it is not uncommon to see more than 2000 birds in Jones Bay.
Pre-mating courtship involves bill-crossing and bowing dances, with the female indicating her readiness to mate by crouching low with wings spread, this usually occurs in shallow water.
Each pair defends their nesting territory with a range of displays and postures and will swoop repeatedly at intruders.
The nest consists of a shallow scrape that is lined with samphire or similar water vegetation.
A single brood is raised per season, with a clutch size of three–four eggs, which are arranged in a circle with the pointed ends toward the centre.
Fun fact one: The Red-necked Avocet appeared on a 13 cent postage stamp in 1966.
Fun fact two: Their call has been described as ‘yapping’ and flocks in flight make a sound like dogs barking.
BirdLife East Gippsland meet weekly for Monday morning outings. New members are always welcome. Check our Facebook page and Birdlife Australia events page for more information.
