Black-necked Stilt

 

It was ten years ago when I observed my first Black-necked Stilt. We were on a Princess Cruise in the Caribbean, something we have only done a couple of times, when we went on a shore excursion arranged by Princess. Usually we arrange our own guides as I feel not only do you get an infinitely better experience but it also feels very good supporting local birders.

The excursion was basically transportation to Bird Island where you birded on your own for the morning. It was one of our first times in the Caribbean and we observed many life birds.

On the way back to the ship we stopped at a “Wilderness Park” which was a very rundown zoo, with birds and animals living in very poor conditions. I could not bring myself to wander through the park and we explained to the rest of the group we would wait outside. It was then that I noticed a large swampy reservoir behind the park and we proceeded down the gravel path to check it out.

It was loaded with birds. The Black-necked Stilts, White and Scarlet Ibis, Yellow-crowned Night Herons, Whistling Ducks, various other shorebirds, etc., etc.

The Black-necked Stilt is a tall but small-bodied shorebird with very long legs, a long neck, small head, and thin, straight bill.

These birds are black above and white below, with white around the eye and rosy pink legs. In females and immatures the black areas can be brownish.

Black-necked Stilts wade into shallow bodies of water, seldom swimming, in pursuit of tiny aquatic invertebrates. Adults defending nests or chicks fly around and call loudly, sometimes performing a distraction display by feigning injury.

Black-necked Stilts are almost always seen near shallow water, including both salt and fresh water, especially mudflats, salt pans, saltmarshes, and many human-modified habitats such as sewage ponds, evaporation pools, and flooded fields. Cornell All About Birds

Although I have observed Black-necked Stilts in the United States and Caribbean it was cool to see my first ever in Lambton County.