Juvenile American Avocets at Bear River

Right after we spotted the Avocet chicks at Bear River, I spotted this rather odd-looking American Avocet foraging along the bank, though I couldn’t quite decide why it looked so odd.

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Before long it was joined by another Avocet.

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I really couldn’t identify them, until I saw them standing next to an adult American Avocet and realized they had to be juveniles.

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I confirmed my identification through the internet, but the sighting raised several questions for me. Just how old are these chicks. Were they born this year? If not, how could they have migrated hundreds of miles, especially since it would have been several months ago if they arrived with the main flock? If they are this year’s chicks, just how old are they and how fast do they grow?

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