Avocet (American Avocet)

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American Avocet

Zoo Tek Phoenix

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Author: Genkicoll

Keywords: real birds

Date Released: Aug 29 2009

Current gcAmericanAvocet.ztd dated 29 August 2009

File Size: 681.53k

Compatibility: All Game Versions

Description: The American Avocet, Recurvirostra americana, is a large shorebird with a bold black and white pattern on its back, long bluish legs, and a long, thin, upwardly curved bill.
The bill of the female is shorter and slightly more upturned than that of the male. The underparts of males and females are white, and breeding adults have buffy-orange plumage on the head and neck. Heads and necks are gray to whitish in non-breeding adults (September to February) and pale pinkish-orange in juveniles.

Habitat:
American Avocets occupy shallow freshwater habitat in open country. They typically feed in open water 10-20 centimeters deep, but they also swim regularly in water too deep for wading. Highly productive alkaline ponds and lakes are ideal for foraging.

Behavior:
American Avocets often forage by sweeping their long bills from side to side with the tip of the bill, which is extremely sensitive to touch, barely submerged in water. They also feed visually by capturing prey from the surface of mud or water, by plunging their heads into water, and by snatching insects from the air. American Avocets are semi-colonial breeders. They remain monogamous within a breeding season. They defend their young vigorously with an array of alarm calls and distraction displays, and will also dive-bomb predators if eggs or young are directly threatened.

Diet:
Small crustaceans and insects make up the majority of their diet. American Avocets also occasionally eat small fish and seeds.

Nesting:
Most pairing takes place before or during migration. Both sexes select the nest site, on bare or sparsely vegetated open ground near water, or islands when available. Either sex may scrape out the nest depression while the other one watches. The pair adds lining such as grass, pebbles, and feathers throughout incubation. The female usually lays four eggs, and both sexes incubate. Another female will sometimes lay 1-4 additional eggs in the same nest, however these 'dump nests' rarely succeed. Chicks are precocial and able to leave the nest within 1-2 hours of hatching. The young form flocks with other fledglings and adults when leaving the nesting area after breeding season. American Avocets normally raise one brood per season.

Migration Status:
Migrants typically arrive on Washington breeding grounds by early April and leave by mid-September. They are rare west of the Cascades. American Avocets winter on the coasts of the southern United States and western Mexico.

Conservation Status:
Wetland losses have led to population declines from historic levels. Selenium contamination of wetlands due to irrigation drain water has been associated with embryo deformities and decreased hatching of young. Wetland conservation and mitigation efforts are under way, and populations are now thought to be stable or increasing.

When and Where to Find in Washington:
American Avocets are locally common in freshwater ponds and wetlands of the Columbia Basin in central Washington. Recently a few pairs have nested, or attempted to nest, in western Washington, in the lowlands of Clark County and at Crockett Lake on Whidbey Island.

Source: http://www.seattleaudubon.org/birdweb/bird...ils.aspx?id=466

Inspired by the Zoo Tycoon Brains Trust at Zoo Tek Phoenix.

*NOTE: If you are using the gcAmericanAvocet.ztd, you do NOT need to have the gcTallPrairieGrass.ztd in your game - it is combined into the American Avocet ztd, since it is the preferred foliage.

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Additional info:

Note: this file contains a temp folder with an earlier version.

Combined gcAmericanAvocet.ztd dated 29 August 2009 contains     

American Avocet            uca: 07D0B125 dated 29 August 2009

Tall Prairie Grass             ucs: 1B651026     1/4 tile height 1
water placeable, exhibit placeable in grassland habitat, walkable

Results From Configuration Checking:

07d0b125.uca date: Sat Aug 29 14:43:16 2009
No Errors or Warnings to show.
Animal Type: 07D0B125

American Avocet

The American Avocet, Recurvirostra americana, is a large shorebird with a bold
black and white pattern on its back, long bluish legs, and a long, thin,
upwardly curved bill. The bill of the female is shorter and slightly more
upturned than that of the male. The underparts of males and females are white,
and breeding adults have buffy-orange plumage on the head and neck. Heads and
necks are gray to whitish in non-breeding adults (September to February) and
pale pinkish-orange in juveniles.
    (plus 16 other paragraphs)

Animal Characteristics:

Habitat: Grassland; Location: North America
Minimum happiness needed for chance of breeding: 90.
Animal can swim in water terrain.
Animal can climb cliffs.

Exhibit Preferences:

Foliage:
Tall Grass, Water Lily, Water Reed, Sage Bush, Broadleaf Bush
Bald Cypress Tree (DD), Horsetail (DD), Monkey Puzzle Tree (DD)
Sea Anemone (MM), Barnacles (MM), Beach Grass (MM), Brittle Sea Star (MM)
Clam Bed (MM), Orange Cup Coral (MM), Divercate Tree Coral (MM)
Feather Duster Worm (MM), Fire Coral (MM), Kelp (MM), Sea Lettuce (MM)
Red Gorgonian (MM), Sargassum (MM), Sand Dollar (MM), Sea Cucumber (MM)
Sea Star (MM), Seaweed (MM), Sea Grass (MM), Sea Sponge (MM)
Stove Pipe Sponge (MM), Tube Worm (MM), Purple Sea Urchin (MM)

Rocks:
Medium Aquatic Rock (DD), Small Ocean Floor Rock (MM)
Medium Coral Formation (MM), Large Ocean Floor Rock (MM)
Medium Ocean Floor Rock (MM), Large Coral Formation (MM), Iceberg (MM)
Isle Rock (MM)

Exhibit Construction:

Number of animals allowed per exhibit: 2-20 with 10 squares for each adult.

Exhibit size (for 2 adults): 20 grid squares

Terrain (for exhibit with 20 grid squares):
10 Grass, 3 Dirt, 2 Gravel, 5 Fresh Water

Foliage (for exhibit with 20 grid squares):
2 grid squares should contain foliage.
Foliage that would give the most happiness: Broadleaf Bush
Since this is a small plant, greatest happiness will occur
if each of the 2 grid squares contains 4 of this plant.

Rocks (for exhibit with 20 grid squares):
1 Small Ocean Floor Rock (MM), which is its most liked rock.