Black-necked Stilt
Himantopus mexicanus
The Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) is a common stilts and avocet found in 53 countries, weighing about 177 g. The black-necked stilt, also called the pied stilt, is a locally abundant shorebird of North and South American wetlands and coastlines.
About the Black-necked Stilt
The black-necked stilt, also called the pied stilt, is a locally abundant shorebird of North and South American wetlands and coastlines. It is found from the coastal areas of California through much of the interior western United States and along the Gulf of Mexico as far east as Florida, then south through Central America and the Caribbean to Brazil, Peru and the Galápagos Islands, with an isolated population, the Hawaiian stilt, in Hawaii. The northernmost populations, particularly those from inland, are migratory, wintering from the extreme south of the United States to southern Mexico, rarely as far south as Costa Rica; on the Baja California peninsula it is only found regularly in…
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Measurements: Length: 13.8–15.3 in (35–39 cm) Weight: 5.3–6.2 oz (150–180 g) Wingspan: 28.1–29.7 in (71–75 cm) They have long pink legs and a long thin black bill. They are white below and have black wings and backs. The tail is white with some grey banding. A continuous area of black extends from the back along the hind neck to the head. There, it forms a cap covering the entire head from the top to just below eye-level, with the exception of the areas surrounding the bill and a small white spot above the eye.
What the Black-necked Stilt sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
The Black-necked Stilt can be seen all year round, with peak activity in April. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Black-necked Stilt?
- Measurements: Length: 13.8–15.3 in (35–39 cm) Weight: 5.3–6.2 oz (150–180 g) Wingspan: 28.1–29.7 in (71–75 cm) They have long pink legs and a long thin black bill. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Black-necked Stilt?
- The Black-necked Stilt is a medium sized bird weighing about 177 g.
- Where can you see a Black-necked Stilt?
- The Black-necked Stilt occurs in 53 countries, including the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Canada.
- What does a Black-necked Stilt sound like?
- You can listen to 2 field recordings of the Black-necked Stilt on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Black-necked Stilt?
- The Black-necked Stilt is most easily confused with the Black-winged Stilt, the Pied Stilt and the Black Stilt.
Learn the Black-necked Stilt for real
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