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Red-necked Avocet (Recurvirostra novaehollandiae) Alternate name(s): "Australian Avocet", "Cobbler", "Trumpeter", "Painted Lady" Aboriginal name(s): "ngakan-ngakan" [tjapwurrung]; "yadjinkorong" (WA) Size: 40-48 cm; wing span ca. 75 cm Body mass: 270-390 g

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Red-necked Avocets are medium-sized, long-legged, mostly black-and-white waders. Except for a white eye-ring, the head and neck are chestnut, while the rest of the plumage is predominantly white. Only the wing tips, thin longitudinal stripes along the base of the wings and stripes from the alula to the base at the back of the wing are black. The only subtle difference between the sexes is that male Red-necked Avocets have a longer, and less prominently upcurved, bill than females. The irises of both sexes are dark, the slender bill is dull black and the long legs and feet are blueish-grey. In flight the long legs can be seen trailing far beyond the end of the tail. As their scientific name of "Recurvirostra" suggests, Red-necked Avocets have a prominently upcurved bill. Juvenile Red-necked Avocets have a faint greyish-brown head and upper neck. Twitcher's tip Red-necked Avocets have a prominent brown head and neck that neither Pied Stilts nor Banded Stilts have.

Taxonomy, classification See Red-necked Avocet at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Red-necked Avocet is available HERE . Red-necked Avocets are endemic to Australia. Their distribution depends a lot on weather conditions. They are usually found primarily in South-East Australia, i.e. the western half of NSW and VIC, especially in the Murray-Darling Basin, and in the eastern half of SA. They are also found in South-West WA. However, after substantial inland rainfall, they can disperse to almost anywhere on the Australian mainland, with the exception of the most arid parts, i.e. the great sandy deserts from about the Nullarbor to the Pilbara region. They also avoid Arnhemland in the NT and the tip of Cape York peninsula, QLD. During the 10-year drought of the first decade of the 21st century most of the NSW population of Red-necked Avocets was concentrated in the Hunter estuary. Red-necked Avocets have a preference for the shallows of various types of aquatic habitats, from tidal flats and marshes to permanent and ephemeral lakes (both freshwater and brackish/saline). Where to look? How to find this species? In the shallows of various bodies of water, coastal or inland, permanent or ephemeral, the only chestnut-and-white bird species with long, bluish-grey "stilts" is the Red-necked Avocet. They are usually found wading roughly parallel to the edge of the water in search of prey. If both species are present, Red-necked Avocets are often farther from shore than Pied Stilts.

Sightings Click here for sighting information After being very rare in inland NSW during the 10-year drought from 2000 to 2010, Red-necked Avocets were first spotted by us at Goran Lake, an ephemeral lake about 30 km South of Gunnedah, NSW, in June 2011. In total several hundred birds were found, together with a remnant population of Pied Stilts seen by us there in May 2011. During that earlier check no Red-necked Avocets had been present. Varying numbers of Red-necked Avocets were observed by us at Goran Lake until it dried up again in November 2013. Another mob was found at the same location when the lake filled up in 2025. In general, Red-necked Avocets are found by us, and also by C. Hayne, semi-regularly in various types of wetlands in inland NSW, such as e.g. ephemeral lakes, sewage ponds, irrigation dams and smaller farm dams, but also in riverine wetlands. While large numbers of Red-necked Avocets were found by in ephemeral lakes, such as Goran Lake when it was full, and Lake Altiboulka, about 85 km East of Tibooburra, NSW, and tens at the Wee Waa, NSW, sewage works, usually only smaller numbers, of up to about 10-20 birds, are spotted in the North-west Slopes and Plains (Gunnedah, Narrabri Lake, Moree, Ashley, Wee Waa, Burren Junction Bore Bath) and along the Barwon/Gwydir/Mehi River courses. Red-necked Avocets were also seen by us in the Hunter River estuary near Newcastle, NSW, at Hunter Wetlands NP, in July 2013. A. Ross-Taylor reports spotting about 70 Red-necked Avocets on a sand bank on the Tweed River, Tweed Heads, NSW, in December 2014. J. Greaves reports spotting Red-necked Avocets at Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, in January 2015. R. Plumtree reports spotting a flock of Red-necked Avocets at Jones Swamp, Bairnsdale, VIC, in March 2017. J. Greaves reports finding Red-necked Avocets at Lake Clarendon, QLD, in July 2018. M. Mearns found a flock of Red-necked Avocets at Mount Frankland NP, WA, in October 2018. C. Pears found a mixed flock of Red-necked Avocets and Banded Stilts on Rottnest Island, WA, in April 2018. Red-necked Avocets were also found at Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, in February 2023. Another large flock of Red-necked Avocets was found at the Broome Bird Observatory, Broome, WA, in June 2025. M. Eaton reports spotting Red-necked Avocets at Lake Gilles, SA, in October 2022. The species was found breeding along the Diamantina Development Road, 100 km W of Windorah, QLD, in July 2026.

Photos

ADULT

PAIR

Many bird species exhibit sexual dimorphism, i.e., male and female have differing appearances which can be quite subtle.
In the case of the Red-necked Avocet the only way one can tell male and female apart is by the length and shape of their bills. The male, top, has a somewhat shorter and less extremely up-curved bill than the female.
(photos courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Clarendon, QLD, July 2018]

Lateral view of a pair of Red-necked Avocets in flight, female at the top
[Burren Junction Bore Bath, NSW, December 2014]

MALE

Lateral view of a male(?) Red-necked Avocet; note the rather long, only slightly upcurved bill
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, September 2011]

Lateral view of a male(?) Red-necked Avocet sifting through water
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, September 2011]

Direct lateral comparison of a male Red-necked Avocet, front, and a Pied Stilt
[Burren Junction Bore Bath, NSW, November 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a male Red-necked Avocet
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, September 2011]

Lateral/ventral view of three Red-necked Avocets in flight, with a male in the middle and two females above and below
[Wee Waa, NSW, September 2012]

FEMALE

Near-frontal view of a female(?) Red-necked Avocet; note the prominently upcurved bill
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, February 2012]

Near-lateral view of a female(?) Red-necked Avocet
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, September 2011]

Lateral view of a female Red-necked Avocet
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, February 2012]

Lateral view of a female Red-necked Avocet, left, with an immature bird, probably also a female, on the right
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Clarendon, QLD, July 2018]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a female Red-necked Avocet in flight
[Wee Waa, NSW, September 2012]

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Red-necked Avocet (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Clarendon, QLD, July 2018]

Near-frontal view of a Red-necked Avocet (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Clarendon, QLD, July 2018]

Near-dorsal view of 7 Red-necked Avocets that have just woken up from resting in shallow water
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, October 2011]

Red-necked Avocets resting on a sand bank in a dam, together with other aquatic species
[Burren Junction Bore Bath, NSW, December 2013]

Near-dorsal view of two Red-necked Avocets (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Clarendon, QLD, July 2018]

Dorsal view of a Red-necked Avocet (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Clarendon, QLD, July 2018]

Frontal/ventral view of Red-necked Avocets in flight
[Burren Junction Bore Bath, , NSW, May 2017]

Lateral view of a small flock of Red-necked Avocets in flight
[Burren Junction Bore Bath, NSW, December 2014]

Lateral view of a small mob of Red-necked Avocets in low flight
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, August 2011]

Small flock of Red-necked Avocets at take-off... (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, August 2012]

... and landing again after turning a full circle (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, August 2012]

Mixed flock of Red-necked Avocets and Banded Stilts (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Rottnest Island, WA, April 2018]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a juvenile Red-necked Avocet (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Gilles, SA, October 2022]

Lateral view of a juvenile Red-necked Avocet
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, September 2011]

Lateral view of an adult, right, with a juvenile Red-necked Avocet
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, September 2011]

Lateral view of a juvenile Red-necked Avocet, together with an adult foraging with its head under water
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, September 2011]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Aug - Dec

Eggs: 3 - 5

Incubation period: 23 - 25 days

Fledging age: 28 - 35 days

The breeding season depends significantly on geographical latitude. Given the right conditions, especially after good rain, they can breed any time of the year. Red-necked Avocets nest in small, loose colonies of up to ca. 150 pairs. One brood is raised per season.

Nest building: ?

Incubation: Female & male

Dependent care: Female & male

The young are "precocial", which means that they leave the nest almost immediately after every chick has hatched (which can be within hours of the last chick hatching). They follow their parents, who lead them away and show them how to feed themselves. The chicks do not return to the nest.

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Scrape

Material: Bare soil, possibly a few twigs or plant debris

Height above ground: N/A

The nest, usually a scrape with a minimum of material added to it, is usually camouflaged between plants such as samphire, small reeds or small shrubs.

Male Red-necked Avocet on its nest (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Diamantina Development Road, 100 km W of Windorah, QLD, July 2026]

Frontal view of a female Red-necked Avocet; this is the partner of the nesting female shown above
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Diamantina Development Road, 100 km W of Windorah, QLD, July 2026]

Near-lateral view of a female Red-necked Avocet; this is the partner of the nesting female shown above
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Diamantina Development Road, 100 km W of Windorah, QLD, July 2026]

Lateral view of a female Red-necked Avocet; this is the partner of the nesting female shown above
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Diamantina Development Road, 100 km W of Windorah, QLD, July 2026]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 50 x 36 mm

Colour: Pale- to olive-brown with dark-brown speckles

Shape: Pyriform

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Dispersive

Elementary unit: Flock

Red-necked Avocets are sociable birds; they do almost everything in large numbers.

Lateral view of Red-necked Avocets feeding as a pack
[Wee Waa, NSW, September 2012]

Lateral/ventral view of a flock of Red-necked Avocets mobbing a Whistling Kite in the air
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, February 2012]

Lateral view of Red-necked Avocets resting in a tight pack in shallow water
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, March 2012]

Lateral view of a flock of resting Red-necked Avocets (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Mount Frankland NP, WA, October 2018]

Near-dorsal view of Red-necked Avocets resting in shallow water
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, September 2025]

Near-lateral view of a small mob of Red-necked Avocets in flight
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, February 2012]

Red-necked Avocets do not like to be approached when close to shore and will retreat into deeper water
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, August 2011]

Food, Diet

Red-necked Avocets feed on small animals they sweep up from just under the mud surface of shallow waters.

This photo illustrates Red-necked Avocets' hunting technique; they sweep their bills sideways, often vigorously, dredging through mud in pursuit of small animals just under the surface
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, August 2011]

Red-necked Avocets foraging in shallow water; note the typical 'tail up' stance
[Burren Junction Bore Bath, NSW, September 2019]

Here one can see how Red-necked Avocets sift water for prey; the upper mandible is held steady while the lower mandible is moved up and down
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, September 2011]

Red-necked Avocets can feed at various depths, even with the head completely under water
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, September 2011]

Three Red-necked Avocets feeding tail up, deep below the water surface
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, August 2012]

Red-necked Avocets feeding in shallow water, with their heads under water (photo courtesy of C. Hayne) down
[Near Moree, NSW, October 2012]

3 Red-necked Avocets foraging together (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Clarendon, QLD, July 2018]

Mob of Red-necked Avocets foraging as a collective
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, December 2023]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

rnavoct_20170508_2.mp3	(NW NSW)	Contact calls (2 birds)	© MD
rnavoct_20141206_4.mp3	(NW NSW)	Contact calls	© MD
rnavoct_20151222_3.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls (flock)	© MD
rnavoct_20151222.m4a	(NW NSW)	Warning calls (flock)	© MD
rnavoct_20151219.mp3	(NW NSW)	Alarm calls	© MD
rnavoct_20151222_4.m4a	(NW NSW)	Upset (flock with Pink-e. Duck)	© MD
blwstlt_20151222_2.m4a	leucocephalus (NW NSW)	Upset (flock with Black-winged Stilt)	© MD
blwstlt_20151222.m4a	leucocephalus (NW NSW)	Upset (flock with Black-winged Stilt)	© MD

More Red-necked Avocet sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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