Pied Avocet
Pied AvocetPied AvocetPied AvocetPied Avocet

Pied Avocet

Recurvirostra avosetta

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
<5% · Rare
overall probability at Virunga National Park
45 Verified records at Virunga National Park
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The pied avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) is a species of wader in the Recurvirostridae family, the only member of the avocet genus Recurvirostra found in Europe, Africa, and Asia. This characteristic wader of coastal lagoons and marshes is easily recognisable by its long, upturned bill, long legs, and striking black-and-white plumage. Measuring approximately 40 cm (16 in) in length with a wingspan of about 70 cm (28 in), it is a relatively large species that feeds on various invertebrates in water and mudflats, captured using its distinctive bill. It typically nests in colonies of 10 to 70 pairs on islets or dikes near water, laying usually four eggs in a simple, shallow scrape in the sand. It is highly territorial when defending its chicks against conspecifics, or predators such as various raptors, corvids, and mammals. The pied avocet has a lifespan of about 20 years, with a record of 36 years. Wikipedia →

<5% of wildlife watchers report a Pied Avocet sighting in Virunga National Park, based on 45 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Virunga National Park

Black-winged Stilt
LC

Black-winged Stilt

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Himantopus himantopus

5–10% · Rare
African Jacana
LC

African Jacana

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Actophilornis africanus

10–20% · With luck
Spur-winged Lapwing
LC

Spur-winged Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus spinosus

10–20% · With luck
African Wattled Lapwing
LC

African Wattled Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus senegallus

10–20% · With luck
Common Sandpiper
LC

Common Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Actitis hypoleucos

5–10% · With luck
Water Thick-knee
LC

Water Thick-knee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Burhinus vermiculatus

5–10% · With luck
Wood Sandpiper
LC

Wood Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa glareola

5–10% · With luck
Senegal Lapwing
LC

Senegal Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus lugubris

5–10% · With luck
Grey-hooded Gull

Grey-hooded Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus

5–10% · Rare
Common Greenshank
LC

Common Greenshank

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa nebularia

<5% · Rare
Long-toed Lapwing
LC

Long-toed Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus crassirostris

<5% · Rare
African Skimmer
LC

African Skimmer

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rynchops flavirostris

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
<5
Sep
<5
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
50–60%
2 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
40–50%
3 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
30–40%
4 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
30–40%
5 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
30–40%
6 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
20–30%
7 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
20–30%
8 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
20–30%
9 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
20–30%
10 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
10–20%
11 Kaziranga National Park 🇮🇳 India
5–10%
12 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
13 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
14 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
5–10%
15 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
16 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
17 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
18 Ranthambore National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
19 Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park 🇲🇳 Mongolia
<5%
20 Keoladeo National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
21 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
22 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
23 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
24 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
25 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
26 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
27 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
<5%
28 Sierra de Guadarrama National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
29 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
30 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
31 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
32 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
33 Jim Corbett National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
34 Monfragüe National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
35 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
36 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
<5%
37 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Insufficient data
38 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
39 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
Insufficient data
40 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
41 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
42 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
43 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
44 Cévennes National Park 🇫🇷 France
Insufficient data
45 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
46 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Insufficient data
47 Taroko National Park 🇹🇼 Taiwan
Insufficient data
48 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
Insufficient data
49 Chitwan National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
Insufficient data
50 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Pied Avocet in Virunga National Park?

About 1% of wildlife watchers report a Pied Avocet sighting in Virunga National Park, based on 45 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Pied Avocet in Virunga National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for Pied Avocet in Virunga National Park in our monthly data.

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