About the Pied Stilt
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.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The pied stilt grows to a length of about 14 in (36 cm) with a wingspan of about 26.5 in (67 cm). The back of the head and neck, the back and the upper surfaces of the wings are glossy greenish-black. The undersides of the wings are plain black and the remainder of the plumage is white, apart from the tail feathers which are tinged with grey. The long, thin legs are pink and the toes have black claws. The long slender beak is black and the irises and the eyelids are red.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Pied Stilt sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Taiwan.
When to see it
Peak activity in October · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Black StiltHimantopus novaezelandiaeBlack stilts are a medium-sized (220 g) wader with extremely long pink legs, red eyes, distinctively black plumage, and a long slender black bill.
Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopusAdults are 33–36 cm (13–14 in) long, with long, pink legs, and a long, rather thin black bill.
Black-necked StiltHimantopus mexicanusMeasurements:
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.
Side by side: Black-necked Stilt vs Pied Stilt · Black-winged Stilt vs Pied Stilt
Learn the Pied Stilt for real
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