ABSTRACT
Seven species, with representatives in all zoogeographical regions. Two occur in the Afrotropical Region, and both breed in Kenya. Far more local than the Blackwinged Stilt, being only at all numerous around the alkaline rift valley lakes at Turkana and Magadi 75C 87A. Widely distributed S of 16°N, avoiding only the equatorial lowland forest areas of the W. The extent to which Palearctic migrants penetrate this range is uncertain, though some almost certainly reach East Africa (Br). The Avocet has bred at L Nakuru 62A (Ja) and does so annually in small numbers at L Magadi 75C 87A. The very small breeding population suggests the presence of non-breeding migrants. There are marked Oct-May increases at L Turkana (HH) and L Baringo 50A (St), rare Oct-Jan wanderers at Moyale 17C, L Kanyaboli 43C, Tsavo E 101B, the Sabaki estuary 103A and Likoni 114B, and a record of 1000+ at L 01 Bolossat 62A in Feb.
