The American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) is a large shorebird with a cinnamon-colored head during breeding season that fades to a soft gray by fall.
Adult avocets are known to put on impressive distractions when predators get too close: broken-wing acts, fake injuries, and even coordinated group behavior where multiple adults will dive-bomb a coyote or hawk together, calling loudly. There’s also a less-talked-about move often described as a “crippled bird” act, where one bird flops around pretending to be injured, drawing attention away while the chicks make their escape.