Red-necked avocet

The red-necked avocet also known as the Australian avocet, cobbler, cobbler's awl, and painted lady, is a wader of the family Recurvirostridae that is endemic to Australia and is fairly common and widespread throughout, except for the north and north east coastal areas of the country. Closely related to the stilts, it shares their fragile slender elegance, however the deep red head and neck distinguish them. It appeared on a 13 cent postage stamp in 1966.

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Distribution

Region

Australia

Typical Environment

Found across much of Australia except the far northern and northeastern coastal fringe. Prefers shallow saline or brackish wetlands, including inland ephemeral lakes that fill after substantial rains. Also occurs on coastal estuaries, intertidal mudflats, and artificial saltworks. It avoids densely vegetated swamps, favoring open shorelines and broad, shallow margins. Movements are highly responsive to rainfall and water availability.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 800 m

Climate Zone

Temperate

Characteristics

Size42–46 cm

Wing Span70–80 cm

Male Weight0.32 kg

Female Weight0.3 kg

Life Expectancy12 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

This elegant wader is instantly recognized by its deep chestnut head and neck and its long, upcurved bill used to sweep for prey in shallow water. It is largely nomadic within Australia, moving widely after inland rains to exploit temporary wetlands. The species often breeds colonially on bare islands and shorelines. It even featured on an Australian 13-cent postage stamp in 1966.

Gallery

Lake Joondalup, Western Australia

Behaviour

Temperament

social and active

Flight Pattern

strong flier with steady wingbeats and short glides

Social Behavior

Usually seen in flocks, especially on large open wetlands and salt lakes. Breeds in loose to dense colonies on bare or sparsely vegetated islands or shorelines, scraping shallow nests in the substrate. Both sexes incubate and tend precocial chicks, which feed themselves soon after hatching.

Migratory Pattern

Partial migrant

Song Description

Calls are clear, ringing yelps and piping notes, often rendered as ‘pleek’ or ‘kluit’, given in flight and when alarmed. In colonies, a chorus of sharp, yapping contact calls carries over the water.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

Red-necked falcon

The red-necked falcon is a bird of prey in the falcon family with two disjunct populations, one in India and the other in Africa. This medium-sized falcon has bluish grey wings and upper body, a chestnut red cap with short chin straps passing through the eye. The primary feathers of the wing are black and a single black band at the tip of the tail are distinctive. The Indian subspecies Falco chicquera chicquera also known as the red-headed merlin or red-headed falcon is found mainly in the open plains of the India Subcontinent although it is thought to have occurred further west in southeastern Iran. The subspecies Falco chicquera ruficollis found in sub-Saharan Africa is sometimes treated as a full species, the rufous-necked falcon, on the basis of its well-separated geographic range and distinctive pattern. It appears very similar to the Indian form but has dark barring on the upperparts, a rufous breast band, and black moustachial and eye stripes. As in most falcons, the females are larger and falconers in India called the female turumti and the male as chatwa. They hunt in pairs mostly at dawn and dusk, capturing small birds, bats and squirrels.

Red-necked grebe

The red-necked grebe is a migratory aquatic bird found in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. Its wintering habitat is largely restricted to calm waters just beyond the waves around ocean coasts, although some birds may winter on large lakes. Grebes prefer shallow bodies of fresh water such as lakes, marshes or fish-ponds as breeding sites.