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Black-winged Stilt

Very nice little birds,

I just love it when they fly, they tuck there long red legs behind them and then fly with their small bodies The Blacksmith Plovers don't seem to like them that much. Every few minutes a BS Plovers would dive bomb them, but this behaviour is probably to do with the BS Plover protecting there newly born chicks.


Plover and Stilt (left) Fighting Stilt's (right)

Wildtuinman....Sunset Dam 28/09/2006.....could be the same bird??!!

{Edit by DQ, leaner version of the photo placed. PB's 3.3 Mb original}

Here's that bird again....Sunset Dam 10 Nov 2008!!

A bit shy about its legs - then so would I be!



Dave

The legs are improbably long but quite elegant don't you think?

Saw mine at Mopani on the dam

Got these two doing some formation flying at northern farm

Identification:
Size medium; slender build; legs very long, red; bill long, slender, straight; mostly white; back and wings black (male) or brown (female). Immature: Like female with greyish nape and hindneck. Chick: Above yellowish grey, with irregular black stripes; below buffy white; iris dark brown; bill shortish, black; legs and feet pinkish grey; weighs about 17 g at hatching.
Voice: Puppylike yapping yip-yip-yip-yip, loud and penetrating; shrill chek-chek-chek alarm call.
Distribution:
Almost worldwide, except n Holarctic and S America; throughout s Africa.
Status:
Locally common resident; highly nomadic.
Habitat:
Shallow waters of estuaries, pans, dams, sewage ponds, vleis and marshes.
Habits:
Solitary or gregarious; occasionally in large flocks of up to 500 birds. Forages by wading quickly with high-stepping gait in shallow water (rarely by swimming) sweeping bill over surface and pecking at food; may submerge head and neck. Flight somewhat flapping, long legs trailing out behind, often accompanied by loud calls.
Food:
Insects, crustaceans, molluscs, worms, seeds.
Breeding:
Season: April to November in Zimbabwe, October to November in e Cape, April to September in Natal; probably most months in s Africa, depending on rainfall, but usually in dry season in E. Nest: Scrape on ground or mud, lined with twigs, grass, and mudpellets; sometimes substantial pile of plant material built up in shallow water or on floating water plants.

Source: Roberts.

Here's a nice one at Sunset Dam, Kruger, Thursday!