BirdUp · Species
Pied Stilt
Himantopus leucocephalusGould, 1837
- Order
- CHARADRIIFORMES
- Family
- Recurvirostridae
- Genus
- Himantopus
- Conservation
- Least Concern
01 · Identification
How to tell it apart
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.
02 · Where
Where to find it
- Breeding range
- OR, AU : local central and south Philippines, Indonesian Arch., New Guinea region, Australia, New Zealand, north-east New Britain (south-east Bismarck Arch.)
- Non-breeding range
- Throughout Philippines
05 · Behaviour
Habits and haunts
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