HABITAT AND RANGE:
Black-necked Stilts are found in fresh
and salt water marshes, mudflats, wet
savannas, pools, grassy marshes, and
flooded fields. They are very
widespread, found through the southern
and western United States and into
Florida and other Gulf coast states,
northern South America, the West Indies,
and the Galapagos Islands. Their
breeding range extends as far north as
Oregon and Delaware along the coasts,
and inland as far as Idaho, Texas, and
Kansas.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Black-necked Stilts are dark-backed
shorebirds with white underparts and
long, straight bills. Females tend to
have browner backs, while males are more
black. The distinguishing feature of all
birds in the stilt family is extremely
long, stilt-like legs, which are reddish
in color and about 8-10 inches long.
Their front toes are long and slightly
webbed at the base, with no hind toe.
They are approximately 14.5 inches long
from beak to tail, and weigh about 14.5
to 16 ounces.
ADAPTATIONS:
The long legs of the Black-necked Stilt
are extremely well adapted for wading in
shallow water and foraging for food.
They may also forage on dry land, but
have to bend their legs in order to
reach the ground with their beaks. Their
long slender beaks are used to probe for
food in the mud. The also are excellent
swimmers and strong fliers.
DIET:
Black-necked Stilts feed on tadpoles,
mollusks, water beetles and other
aquatic insects, snails, small fish,
flying insects, and seeds of aquatic and
marsh plants.
REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT:
Black-necked Stilts nest in small
colonies on the ground, building their
nests in both fresh and salt marshes and
shallow coastal bays. The nest is no
more than a shallow depression in the
marshy ground, lined with grass, weeds,
twigs, or shell fragments. They usually
lay 3-4 buff colored eggs, which are
spotted with brown. Both parents
incubate the eggs for about 25 days. The
young leave the nest shortly after
hatching and are tended by both parents.
The parents are extremely protective of
their young, and will fly at intruders
or practice the crippled-bird act to
draw predators away from their young.
The chicks are light brownish gray with
black spots, and are very well
camouflaged. When the adults give an
alarm call, the chicks scatter and lay
flat against the ground. The chicks are
able to fly about 4 weeks after
hatching.
