Birds · Charadriiformes · Recurvirostridae

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The black-winged stilt is an unmistakable wader: black and white with extremely long pink legs and a fine, needle-straight bill. It has the longest legs in proportion to its body of any bird in the world after the flamingos. It breeds in colonies in saltpans, rice fields and shallow lagoons throughout Spain, and defends its nest with mobbing flights and ceaseless calling against any intruder.

Weight

145 g – 200 g

Size

33 cm – 40 cm

Lifespan

12 years

Diet

Insectivore

Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

OceanFreshwaterInsectivore Diurnal Colonial Bird Ocean Freshwater

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Fun facts

anatomíaIt has the longest legs relative to its body of any bird, which lets it wade in relatively deep water.
It has the longest legs in the world in proportion to its body after the flamingos: they make up more than 60% of its height and let it wade water no other wader of its size can reach.
It is one of the chief beneficiaries of rice fields and saltpans: in Spain, artificial wetlands such as the Ebro delta and the Guadalquivir marshes hold much of its population.
It defends the nest with exhausting persistence: the adults circle over any intruder, people included, calling without pause until it leaves.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Saltpans, shallow marshes, rice fields, lagoons and irrigation ponds of Europe, Asia and Africa
Sexual maturity: 23.9 months
Gestation / incubation: 25 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 4 eggs

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himantopus_himantopus