The American Avocet 
i_ 
Taken in Merced. County Photo by the Author 
BROADSIDE 
PORTRAIT OF AMERICAN AVOCET 
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 1.296); index 68.4. 
Season: 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, LI. S. Dept. Agric., Biol. Surv. Bull., no. 35, 
II92 
