Andean Avocet

Recurvirostra andina Philippi & Landbeck, 1861

Recurvirostridae — Stilts, Avocets

Andean Avocet, Recurvirostra andina, is a resident bird of montane South America, breeding in Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile and far north-west Argentina. It belongs to the avocet and stilt family, Recurvirostridae, and was described by Philippi and Landbeck in 1861. It nests close to shallow lakes in the Andes, especially where the water is alkaline, and often does so in small groups. It is non-migratory, though it may shift to lower ground outside the breeding season. It feeds in shallow water and on mud flats, using a side-to-side sweep of its bill.

Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Recurvirostridae — Stilts, Avocets
Breeding range: South America: montane c Peru, Bolivia, n Chile and far nw Argentina