The American Avocet 



Taken in Merced County 



BROADSIDE 



PORTRAIT OF AMERICAN AVOCET 



Photo by the Author 



ground in or near swamp. Eggs: 4, 5 of record; ovate or elongate ovate; pale clay- 

 color (between chamois and dark olive-buff), very uniform, boldly, finely, uniformly, 

 and rather heavily spotted with brownish black (dark sepia), washing out to Saccardo's 

 umber. Av. of 29 eggs from Los Banos: 48.1 x 32.9 (1.894 x i- 20 <6); index 68.4. 

 Seasoti: April 20-June 1; one brood. 



General Range. — North America, chiefly west of the Mississippi River. Breeds 

 from eastern Washington, central Alberta, and Manitoba (formerly. to Mackenzie), 

 south to southern California, southern New Mexico, and southern Texas, northern 

 Iowa and central Wisconsin. Winters from southern Texas to Guatemala. 



Distribution in California. — Breeds commonly in the Sacramento and San 

 Joaquin valleys, and in the Modoc region; less commonly (formerly abundantly) in 

 the San Diegan district. Of more general distribution during migrations, appearing 

 coastwise from San Francisco south. Of casual occurrence in winter, recorded as far 

 north as Stockton and Marin County, and at Lone Pine, Inyo County (Nelson). 



Authorities. — Vigors (Recurvirostra occidentalis) , Zool. Jour., iv., 1829, p. 356 

 (San Francisco; winter plumage); Cooke, U. S. Dept. Agric, Biol. Surv. Bull., no. 35, 



1 192 



