American Avocet Photos

Photography by Terry Sohl

My Favorite: Another of my favorite species (I have a lot of favorites), American Avocets are a species of the western US. As such, our little corner of southeast South Dakota is the one part of the state where they don't generally breed, and are rather uncommon as migrants. It's always a treat to see one near here. My favorite is from April 2019 (as are photos #26 through #36!). On a rather slow birding day, where nearly all other shorebirds were absent, I came across a lone American Avocet at Weisensee Slough in far western Minnehaha County. This is actually a flooded road that he's foraging on, with melt from a very bad winter resulting in a lot of flooded wetlands this spring.

American Avocet - Recurvirostra americana


American Avocet 1 April 30th, 2005 Lake Thompson, South Dakota	American Avocet 2 April 30th, 2005 Lake Thompson, South Dakota	American Avocet 3 May 3rd, 2005 Lake Thompson, South Dakota	American Avocet 4 May 3rd, 2005 Lake Thompson, South Dakota

American Avocet 5 May 3rd, 2005 Lake Thompson, South Dakota	American Avocet 6 May 3rd, 2005 Lake Thompson, South Dakota	American Avocet 7 July 11th, 2009 Stone Lake, Sully County, South Dakota	American Avocet 8 July 11th, 2009 Stone Lake, Sully County, South Dakota

American Avocet 9 July 11th, 2009 Stone Lake, Sully County, South Dakota	American Avocet 10 July 11th, 2009 Stone Lake, Sully County, South Dakota	American Avocet 11 July 11th, 2009 Stone Lake, Sully County, South Dakota	American Avocet 12 July 11th, 2009 Stone Lake, Sully County, South Dakota

American Avocet 13 July 11th, 2009 Stone Lake, Sully County, South Dakota	American Avocet 14 (Juvenile) July 7th, 2009 Bear River Bird Refuge, Utah	American Avocet 15 (Juvenile) July 7th, 2009 Bear River Bird Refuge, Utah	American Avocet 16 (Juvenile) July 7th, 2009 Bear River Bird Refuge, Utah

American Avocet 17 July 27th, 2009 Bear River Bird Refuge, Utah	American Avocet 18 (Non-breeding plumage) July 27th, 2009 Bear River Bird Refuge, Utah	American Avocet 19 May 4th, 2014 Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota	American Avocet 20 May 4th, 2014 Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota

American Avocet 21 May 4th, 2014 Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota	American Avocet 22 May 4th, 2014 Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota	American Avocet 23 May 4th, 2014 Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota	American Avocet 24 April 26th, 2015 Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota

American Avocet 25 April 26th, 2015 Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota	American Avocet 26 April 20th, 2019 Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota	American Avocet 27 April 20th, 2019 Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota	American Avocet 28 April 20th, 2019 Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota

American Avocet 29 April 20th, 2019 Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota	American Avocet 30 April 20th, 2019 Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota	American Avocet 31 April 20th, 2019 Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota	American Avocet 32 April 20th, 2019 Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota

American Avocet 33 April 20th, 2019 Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota	American Avocet 34 April 20th, 2019 Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota	American Avocet 35 April 20th, 2019 Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota	American Avocet 36 April 20th, 2019 Western Minnehaha County, South Dakota

American Avocet 37 April 19th, 2020 Lake County, South Dakota	American Avocet 38 April 19th, 2020 Lake County, South Dakota	American Avocet 39 May 14th, 2016 Near LaCreek National Wildlife Refuge, South Dakota