Black-winged Stilt

1. Bird Name
English: Black-winged Stilt
Scientific: Himantopus himantopus

2. Appearance
The Black-Winged Stilt’s name aptly captures its primary distinguishing feature – its lengthy, stilt-like black legs. The bird has an undeservingly simple binary color palette of intense black and pure white, elegantly undermining any graceless assumptions regarding its leggy physique. Its bill, slim and substantial, is primarily black, while its eyes flicker with bright red intensity. A close examination of the bird reveals a delicate white head, neck, and underparts contrasted sharply by black-backed wings. Feather textures are smooth and fair, but unlike many bird species, there’s no significant difference in physical characteristics between males and females.

3. Size
The Black-winged Stilt averages a length of 33-36cm (13-14 inches), and a wingspan often reaching 70-85cm (27.5-33.5 inches). It weighs within a range of 180-300 grams, allowing for maximum mobility.

4. Habitat & Distribution
Black-winged Stilts are found worldwide, being more prevalent in the warm and tropical regions. These include continents like Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. They are found in countries ranging from New Zealand to Italy and many places in between. These birds have a fondness for wetlands, and they often reside around lagoons, swamps, mudflats, and marshes, both saltwater, and freshwater.

5. Interesting Facts
– The Black-winged Stilt is known for its gift of flight. It regularly undertakes long flights, moving between water bodies.
– In the face of danger, it has an intriguing distraction display, where it feigns an injury to lead predators away from the nest.
– It has a unique upright posture, standing on one foot at rest, which gives it a unique iconic stance.

6. Diet
The diet of these avian creatures consists mainly of insects, as well as small crustaceans, mollusks, and tiny fish. They feed by inquisitive pecking, often with rhythmic head-bobbing.

7. Behavior & Sounds
Black-winged Stilts are sociable birds that usually reside in large colonies, often with other waterbirds. Their nesting style is rather simple, as they craft a minimal scrape in the land, line the indentation with pebbles and shells. The unique flying pattern of the Black-winged Stilt involves elegant soaring with slowly beating wings. Their call has a sharp, yelping quality, rendered as “kip kip.”

8. Conservation Status
The Black-winged Stilt is currently listed as being of ‘Least Concern’ according to the IUCN Red List. However, they are still threatened by habitat loss due to human intervention, such as drainage of wetlands, introduction of foreign amphibians, and pollution.

9. Lifespan
In the wild, Black-winged Stilts average a lifespan of approximately 10 years.

10. Additional Notes
In Italy, these birds have the local name “Cavaliere d’Italia”. They interact with humans mostly in an unobtrusive manner, avoiding close contact. Their role in the ecosystem is essential as they can control insect populations, making them beneficial to agricultural operations.