Black-winged Stilt

The Black-winged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus is a large wader in the avocet and stilt family, Recurvirostridae.

Adults have long pink legs, a long thin black bill and are mainly white with a dark cap and a dark back. The North American variant, the Black-necked Stilt, has a dark back as well with a white spot over the eye. It is recorded as Himantopus mexicanus in the Sibley-Munroe checklist.

Their breeding habitat is marshes, shallow lakes and ponds. They are found in southern and southeastern Europe, central Asia, northern Africa, Australia, Central and South America, Hawaii, the Philippines and the western and southeastern United States. They may stray well outside these areas.

The nest site is a bare spot on the ground near water. These birds often nest in small groups, sometimes with avocets.

They are migratory and move to the ocean coasts in winter.

These birds pick up their food from sand or water. They mainly eat insects and crustaceans.

In Hawaii, this bird is endangered due to habitat loss.