The one upside from working to save a malfunctioning hard drive is that the occasional lost or forgotten bird will fly by. Like this Andean Avocet, wading in the Laguna Colorada, that I was fortunate to cross paths with at the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve in Bolivia.

The Laguna Colorada is a shallow 60-square kilometer (23sq mi) lake whose rusty blood red hues come from the reddish algae and sediment found in it. It’s also home to a large population of the rare James’s Flamingo (a gallery is here) which can be seen wading and walking across much of it as they feed on the algae that gives the lake its name. Unlike the James’s Flamingos that congregated in fairly large numbers, this Andean Avocet was seemingly content with the solitude provided at another part of the lake. Even when a gull swooped in.

I was taken by its beak – it was the first time I’d ever seen a bird with such a long upturned bill.

While they can be found in coastal areas, they’re most at home at high altitudes. Laguna Colorada sits at 4,278 m –exactly 14,000 ft– above sea level.

Two more images below. 

Andean Avocet (Recurvirostra andina) in brief (with assist from WordPress AI but double-checked by me at Birds of the World and Wikipedia):

• Size: Length: 40-45 cm (15.7-17.7 inches); wingspan: 75-85 cm (29.5-33.5 inches)
• Diet: Primarily feeds on invertebrates such as insects, crustaceans, and mollusks found in shallow water; forages by sweeping its long, curved bill through the sediment.
• Habitat: Prefers shallow salt lakes, wetlands, and saline lagoons; often found in high-altitude areas, particularly in the Andes, where it thrives in environments with accessible food sources.
• Physical Description: Distinctive long, upturned bill enabling effective foraging; elegant, slender body with long legs adapted for wading; breeding plumage is predominantly white with a black back and distinctive black cap; during non-breeding season, the plumage becomes more muted.
• Breeding: Breeding season typically occurs during the wet season; nests are shallow scrapes on the ground, often lined with pebbles and vegetation; clutch size usually consists of 3-4 eggs which are incubated for about 25-30 days.
• Conservation Status: Classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, but populations can be affected by habitat destruction and environmental changes.
• Unique Behaviors: Notable for its synchronized flocking behavior during foraging and migration; displays a unique courtship ritual involving elaborate movements and vocalizations to attract mates.
• Range and Migration: Breeds primarily in high-altitude Andes, from southern Peru to northern Chile and Argentina.; migrates to lower altitudes, including coastal regions, during the non-breeding season.

Links for further reference:

• Andean Avocet at Birds of the World
• Andean Avocet at BirdLife DataZone
• Andean Avocet at eBird
• Andean Avocet at Avibase
• Andean Avocet at Wikipedia
• Andean Avocet at Oiseaux.net
• Andean Avocet at iNaturalist

Photos from 26 March 2013; post last updated on 21 July 2026.