Michele Mendi

Unmistakable black-and-white wader with upcurved bill. Disjunct breeding area in Europe; from Spain along W coast to Denmark, S Sweden and Baltic; inland breeders in Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria and Greece, Turkey, E to China. European population 58,400-74,300 breeding pairs, trend uncertain. Migratory in N part of range, partially migratory or resident further S. Breeds colonially in all kinds of shallow saline or brackish wetlands, migrates in loose flocks. Diet is a variety of aquatic invertebrates. Breeding success varies greatly due to weather and predation (Hötker & Segebade 2000).

Season of assessment

B

Population trendDecreasing
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		81200-155000,95300
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Pied Avocet

Predominant direction of movement from NE to SW along West European coast from Denmark, Germany and Netherlands to W coast of France, Iberia and Morocco, and fewer to W Africa S to Guinea. Birds from British Isles connect to S coast of England, where avocets increasingly spend the winter (West 2005), the Netherlands, W France and Spain. Birds from Hungary either move SW connecting to Italy, Tunisia, Iberia, or move SE to Greece, Bulgaria and Rumania. Birds from N coast of Black Sea in Ukraine connect to Hungary during post-breeding. One bird from the Volga Delta was shot in Egypt during winter. Majority of French breeders are resident within or close by their natal colonies (Chambon et al 2018).

Recoveries by Condition for Pied Avocet

Less than one-third of all recoveries refer to dead birds, of which half (15% of the total) was shot, mainly in France and Spain, and mostly before 1960. Hardly any shot birds were reported after 1990. Birds dead from other causes were spread evenly across the entire range. Ringing recoveries make up 6%, mainly in the Netherlands, France and Spain. Almost 60% of the recoveries were of alive birds identified by other means, most likely readings of metal or colour-ringed birds. After 1990, the vast majority of recoveries is in this category.

Annual Movements for Pied Avocet

Most recoveries end Dec- end Feb in Iberia and France, SW Netherlands and S coast of England, few W Africa, Italy and Greece. Begin Mar birds move N, end Mar Netherlands, Denmark and S half of British Isles are filled. Begin Apr first birds appear in Hungary. By May birds reach Baltic, densities high in breeding areas in Netherlands, Denmark and Baltic, Hungary, SW Spain and W France through to begin Jul. Baltic vacated by begin Aug, more scattered encounters in Europe and around Black Sea Aug-Sep, still widespread but sparse along W coasts in Oct- begin Dec.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Pied Avocet

Birds in winter in British Isles are mainly local breeders connecting to elsewhere in country in Apr-Aug, minority to Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden in Mar-Jul. Birds during breeding Apr-Aug connect to within country in all months, to Netherlands, Denmark in Apr-Aug and to France, Iberia in Oct-Feb. Birds wintering France Oct-Feb mainly from Germany, Denmark, Sweden May-Jun. Dutch, N German and W Danish breeders Apr-Aug mainly connect to Iberia and W. Africa in Oct-Mar, while breeders from E Denmark and Sweden Apr-Aug mostly connect to W France, few also S France, Italy. Wintering birds absent in Fennoscandia except few in SW Denmark. Hungarian breeders Apr-Aug pass through Italy Sep-Oct and Mar-Apr en route to Spain and N Africa Nov-Jan, or connect to Greece Oct-Jan.

Henk van der Jeugd

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
Chambon, R., Dugravot, S., Paillisson, J.-M., Lemesle, J.-C., Ysnel, F., Gélinaud, G.2018 . Partial migration in inexperienced pied avocets Recurvirostra avosetta: distribution pattern and correlates. Journal of Avian Biology 49 article no.: 1549 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jav.01549)
Hötker, H., Segebade, A.2000 . Effects of predation and weather on the breeding success of Avocets Recurvirostra avosetta. Bird Study 97 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00063650009461163) : 91–101
West, R.2005 . Pied Avocets wintering in Britain, 1947–2001. Wader Study Group Bulletin 107: 54–56

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