AVOCET 339 



Distribution in California — Common summer visitant in the Modoc (plateau) 

 region northeast of the Sierras, in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley, and in 

 the coastal district of southern California from Santa Barbara southeastward. 

 Breeds from Lower Klamath Lake, Siskiyou County, on Oregon line (H. C. 

 Bryant, 1914e, p. 283) south to Santa Ana, Orange County (Grinnell, 1898, p. 

 16). In migration occurs west to coast at San Francisco and from that lati- 

 tude southward throughout the state both east and west of the Sierras. Winters 

 in fair numbers in coastal district from Santa Barbara southeastward, and 

 casually as far north as Novate, Marin County, near the coast (Mailliard coll.), 

 and at Stockton, San Joaquin County, in the interior (Belding, MS). 



The Avocet is a typical inland species and shows marked prefer- 

 ence for the more arid parts of the country. It seems to have a strong 

 liking, at least in the western part of its range, for alkaline depres- 

 sions, and chooses such places for both forage and nesting grounds, 

 even when fresh water is also available. Pools on which a surface 

 scum has collected are often chosen, probably because of the par- 

 ticular kind of insect life there afforded. During the early summer 

 the species is present and breeds locally in restricted localities, chiefly 

 in the San Joaquin-Sacramento Valley and in the Modoc region. A 

 few breed also in the vicinity of Los Angeles. Later in the year it is 

 more widespread, occurring west to the coast from San Francisco 

 southward, as well as elsewhere inland. During August it has been 

 seen at "Webber Lake, Sierra County (Belding, 1890, p. 267), and at 

 Hemet Lake in the San Jacinto Mountains (Grinnell and Swarth, 

 1913, p. 226). In the San Joaquin Valley the species arrives in force 

 at Los Baiios in March, and continues to be numerous in the valley 

 until October. Stragglers have been taken in December at Los Bancs, 

 Merced County (one specimen, Mus. Vert. Zool.), at Stockton, San 

 Joaquin County (three specimens, Belding, MS), and, east of the 

 Sierras, at Lone Pine, Inyo County, in the same month (A. K. Fisher, 

 1893a, p. 22) ; while near the coast it has been observed at Novato, 

 Marin County, in January (specimen in Mailliard coll.), and 

 Berkeley, December 26, 1884 (Belding, MS). A flock of several hun- 

 dred individuals was noted by Emerson (1900, p. 34) on the salt 

 ponds near Hayward, Alameda County, November 17 to 24, 1899. 

 In certain years the species winters in considerable numbers in the 

 coastal district of southern California. In the spring and fall migra- 

 tions it has been seen on the coast at Santa Barbara, March 18 and 

 May 20, and September 20 to November 1 (Bowles and Howell, 

 1912, p. 7), and at Santa Cruz, June 10 (Sharpe, 1896, p. 333). As 

 indicated in the preceding paragraph the species may be found in 

 numbers ranging from solitary birds to flocks of several hundred 

 individuals, but flocks of a dozen to thirty -birds are by far the com- 

 monest. 



