Stilt
- For the journal of the Australasian Wader Studies Group, see Stilt
| Black-winged Stilt/Common Stilt | |
|---|---|
| File:Black winged Stilt I MG 9747.png | |
| Adult H. h. himantopus | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Clade: | Aequorlitornithes |
| Order: | Charadriiformes |
| Superfamily: | Recurvirostroidea |
| Family: | Recurvirostridae |
| Genus: | {{{1}}} Brisson, 1760 |
Stilt is a common name for several species of birds in the family Recurvirostridae, which also includes those known as avocets. They are found in brackish or saline wetlands in warm or hot climates[1].
They have extremely long legs, hence the group name, and long thin bills. Stilts typically feed on aquatic insects and other small creatures and nest on the ground surface in loose colonies[1].
Handbook of Birds of the World recognises three species in two genera[2]:
- Black-winged Stilt or White-backed Stilt, Himantopus himantopus
- Pied Stilt or White-headed Stilt, Himantopus (himantopus) leucocephalus
- Hawaiian Stilt or aeʻo, Himantopus (himantopus/mexicanus) knudseni
- White-backed Stilt, Himantopus (himantopus/mexicanus) melanurus
- Black-necked Stilt, Himantopus (himantopus/mexicanus) mexicanus
- Black Stilt, Himantopus novaezelandiae
- Banded Stilt, Cladorhynchus leucocephalus
A fossil stilt has been described as Himantopus olsoni, based on remains recovered in the Late Miocene Big Sandy Formation of Wickieup, USA.
References[edit]
- ^ a b Terres, John K. (1980). The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. ISBN 0394466519.
- ^ John H. Boyd III (November 10, 2011). "CHARADRIIFORMES". TiF Checklist. Retrieved 2-11-2022. Check date values in:
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Media related to Stilt at Wikimedia Commons
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This article is part of Project Bird Genera, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each genus, including made-up genera. |