BirdUp · Species
Pied Stilt
Himantopus leucocephalusGould, 1837
Updated
- Order
- CHARADRIIFORMES
- Family
- Recurvirostridae
- Genus
- Himantopus
At a glance
The Pied Stilt is a large bird, about 33–37 cm long, listed as Least Concern and native to Australia.
- Size
- 33–37 cm
- Conservation status
- Least Concern
- Origin
- Native
01 · Identification
How to tell it apart
What does a Pied Stilt look like?
The Pied Stilt is a large bird, about 33–37 cm long and weighing 138–227 g, identified by its white head and neck contrasting with black back; extremely long, spindly pink legs; long, straight, needle-thin black bill; and vivid red eye.
The pied stilt, also known as the white-headed stilt, is a shorebird in the family Recurvirostridae. It is widely distributed with a large total population size and apparently stable population trend, occurring in Malaysia, Japan, the Philippines, Brunei, Christmas Island, Indonesia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Australia, and New Zealand. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the black-winged stilt.
Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
- 01
White head and neck contrasting with black back
The sharp division between the entirely white head and neck and the glossy black back and wings forms a key diagnostic pattern.
- 02
Extremely long, spindly pink legs
Disproportionately long for the bird's body size, a defining characteristic of stilts.
- 03
Long, straight, needle-thin black bill
- 04
Vivid red eye
The iris is a bright, noticeable red, often visible at moderate to close distances.
05 · Behaviour
Habits and haunts
What does a Pied Stilt eat?
The Pied Stilt feeds on intertidal invertebrates and fish/invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or flocks.
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