Where to see avocet in the UK

How to find avocet

Avocets stopped breeding in Britain in the 1840s and didn't return until the 1940s, which is why the RSPB put one on its logo. That history is worth knowing mainly because it explains why they are so concentrated: almost every British avocet is on a managed coastal scrape, because that habitat barely exists otherwise.

Which makes them one of the easier scarce birds to find. Go to a reserve with shallow brackish pools and islands between April and August and you will see avocets, usually without much effort.

The bill is the thing to watch. It curves upward, and the bird feeds by sweeping it side to side through soft mud like a scythe, which is completely unlike how any other British wader feeds. Once you've seen the action you can identify an avocet at distance from the movement alone.

They are also aggressive out of all proportion to their appearance. A breeding pair will mob gulls, herons and anything else that comes near the islands, and much of the entertainment at an avocet colony in May is watching something four times their size get driven off.

The catch is that scrapes are managed for water level, and a dry spring or a badly timed flood can move the whole colony. Check recent sightings before a long drive rather than assuming last year's site still holds them.