I just returned from a stay at Summer Lake in Oregon where I saw lots of Black-necked Stilts, Himantopus mexicanus. Unlike other birds in the area, they are easy to identify.

They look stylish with their striking black and white markings and long, slim bill. Then you notice their legs. They’re so long in proportion to their bodies! In fact, only flamingos have longer legs. If that’s not enough to get your attention, the legs make a fashion statement with their bright rose-pink color.

So where can you find Black-necked Stilts? They live in wetland environments in parts of North, Central, and South America. In the continental United States, they are common along the coast of California, in interior parts of western states, along the Gulf of Mexico, and east to Florida.

Yes, you’ll see them in shallow water including in salt flats and pans, flooded lands near rivers and lakes, saltmarshes, swamps, and mudflats. However, you can also see them in human-created habitats like sewage ponds and rice fields. In some areas they actually prefer those sites.

Black-necked Stilts are often on the move. What are they eating? They feed on aquatic invertebrates, small crustaceans, amphibians, snails, and small fish.

Where do they nest? Stilts build nests on the ground and lay 2–5 eggs. Both sexes are active in incubation and chick-rearing.

To drive away predators, they sometimes gather together in a group and jump, hop, and flap their wings in a behavior referred to as “popcorning.” They’ll also pretend to have a broken wing and lure predators away, like killdeers. Predators include foxes, coyotes, feral cats, skunks, and gulls.

Are they doing okay? Populations of Black-necked Stilts have been stable overall in the continental U.S. They may be extending their range to the north, possibly because of climate change. Since they depend on the availability of wetland habitats, they’re vulnerable to habitat destruction, degradation, and pollution.

Weirdest fun fact: Black-necked Stilts and American Avocets, Recurvirostra americana, can hybridize and produce young. Birders have nicknamed these rare birds “avo-stilts.” Wow, I’d like to see one of those! 😀

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