The beak district
1 IF YOU live on the east coast of England, you may have been lucky enough to spot one of these iconic black and white birds. If you do not, you may recognise it only from the logo of a certain bird protecting organisation. The avocet is a striking and unmistakable bird, they live all year round on the east coast, and you may be lucky and see them in the winter in the south west.
2 Avocets are the poster child for conservation in the UK, and had been considered extinct for a century before the Second World War. During the war, we flooded the east coast marshes, which may have made it difficult for potential attackers but it also made an ideal habitat for avocets. With protection and help, more than three thousand avocets now spend their lives in England. Not bad for something so recently “extinct”! And ironic indeed that a strategy which was designed to keep out invaders, allowed a whole new invasion. Thankfully, these invaders are welcome, and actually serve a very important role in the marshland ecosystem. 3 Probably the most unusual feature of the avocet is its beak, which curves upwards. Avocets are well adapted for their marshland environment and hunt by sight. Once they have spotted a small fish they can keep their eyes on it as they use that long-curved beak to sweep the water after it. They will eat any fish, insects, shellfish or amphibians that cross their path.
4 Like most marshland birds, avocets lay their eggs on the ground in a small nest made out of mud, sand, feathers and whatever else they find lying around. Although territorial and defensive of their patch from invaders, they like to live in big flocks of well over one hundred birds. Safety in numbers for all the little chicks in the nest. Much harder for a predator to get to them when there are so many adults around. Avocets have even been known to chase off large birds of prey from their territories.
5 If you head down to the coast this summer, keep your eyes open for these amazing world war invaders. With Lily Woods