The Avocetta is an elegant and distinctive shorebird, easily recognizable by its slender, upward-curving bill. It has distinctive black-and-white plumage, with wings that are mostly white and have black tips. Its long blue-gray legs give it a slender appearance. This bird mainly inhabits coastal and salt marsh wetlands, where it feeds on small invertebrates that it catches by sweeping its bill sideways through shallow water. Avocets are migratory birds; they move south during the winter. Nesting takes place from April to July, with pairs building shallow nests on the ground near the water.