BirdUp · Species
Black-winged Stilt
Himantopus himantopusGould, 1837
Updated
Also known asNgurungKuliny-kuliny
- Order
- CHARADRIIFORMES
- Family
- Recurvirostridae
- Genus
- Himantopus
At a glance
The Black-winged Stilt is a large bird, about 35–40 cm long, listed as Least Concern and native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.
- Size
- 35–40 cm
- Conservation status
- Least Concern
- Origin
- Native
- Best seen
- Year-round
- Commonness
- Very common
01 · Identification
How to tell it apart
What does a Black-winged Stilt look like?
The Black-winged Stilt is a large bird, about 35–40 cm long and weighing 140–205 g, identified by its extremely long, thin, bright pink legs; starkly contrasting black and white plumage; long, needle-fine, straight black bill; and predominantly white head with variable black nape.
The black-winged stilt is a widely distributed, very long-legged wader in the avocet and stilt family Recurvirostridae. Its scientific name, Himantopus himantopus, is sometimes used to generalize a single, almost cosmopolitan species. Alternatively, it is restricted to the form that is widespread in Europe, Asia and Africa, which equals the nominate group of H. himantopus sensu lato. Meanwhile, the black-necked and white-backed stilts both inhabit the Americas; the pied stilt ranges from Australia and New Zealand. Today, most sources accept between one and four actual species.
Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
- 01
Extremely long, thin, bright pink legs
Disproportionately long and slender, extending well past the tail in flight, an unmistakable feature.
- 02
Starkly contrasting black and white plumage
Clean white body and underparts sharply divided from solid black back and upperwings.
- 03
Long, needle-fine, straight black bill
Very slender and sharp, often held downwards while foraging.
- 04
Predominantly white head with variable black nape
Head and neck are typically white, with males often showing variable black on the crown and nape.
03 · When
When to look
When can you see a Black-winged Stilt?
The Black-winged Stilt is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
05 · Behaviour
Habits and haunts
What does a Black-winged Stilt eat?
The Black-winged Stilt feeds on small invertebrates, including insects, molluscs and and crustaceans..
06 · Gallery
Plumage up close
6 photos
07 · Similar species
Could be confused with
A few Australian birds resemble the Black-winged Stilt. Here’s how to tell them apart at a glance.
| Species | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|
| The Black-winged Stilt typically has more black on the head and neck |
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