Latin name- Himantopus himantopus
English name- Black-winged stilt
Order Charadriiformes
Avocet family
The Stilt is a very noticeable sandpiper with very high pink legs, which is how it got its name. The appearance of the stilt is so unusual that it can be easily recognized not only by an ornithologist, but simply by any person who has encountered the bird in nature.
Conservation status
Although the range of the stilt is very extensive, it settles only in certain biotopes, the area of which is constantly decreasing due to economic activity person. Therefore, the species is included in the Red Books of many countries, including Russia, as well as in the Red Books of individual regions where this sandpiper is found. In addition, the protection of the stilt is implied by the terms of several international conventions and agreements.
Species and man
Stilts, as a rule, are not subject to direct destruction. It is unlikely that there will be a person (a hunter, for example) who will deliberately shoot at such an amazing bird. Unless they can fall under random shots from poachers or those who like to shoot at all living things.
But the indirect impact of humans on stilt populations is quite significant. The fact is that stilts live in humid coastal biotopes, often saltwater, which have become actively used by humans. Thus, birds lose their nesting habitats, which is sometimes more dangerous for the existence of the species than direct destruction.
Spreading
On the territory of Russia, stilts nest in the Ciscaucasia, on the Don, in the Caspian region, in Transbaikalia and in Primorye. Outside our country, stilts are found in southern Europe, China, India and Central Africa.
Depending on specific conditions, populations of stilts can be migratory, nomadic, or sedentary. Our stilts are migratory birds and winter in South-East Asia and in Africa.
The favorite habitats of the stilt are low banks of rivers and lakes, both fresh and salt, with sparse grassy vegetation. Willingly settles in flooded meadows. Avoids areas with high tides, as brood nests often die.
Appearance
The appearance of stilts is very remarkable, and, of course, what catches the eye first is their long red legs, reaching 18 cm. (By the way, in terms of leg length relative to body size, the stilt ranks second after flamingos).
The body length of the stilt is 35–40 cm, the wingspan is 67–83 cm, the length of the black beak is 6 cm, the body weight is 170–200 g. The general color is contrasting - black and white. Sexual dimorphism in color is insignificant; females are simply more dull in color than males, and in addition, they are slightly smaller than males.
Nutrition and feeding behavior
Stilts feed on small aquatic insects and their larvae (water bugs, small swimming beetles, bloodworms, caddisfly larvae), as well as amphipods and small mollusks, and sometimes catch small fish and tadpoles. Ground insects are rarely found in the food of stilts. They usually feed in the shallows of brackish waters, but they can also go quite deep, plunging into the water up to their shoulders. Food is most often taken from the surface or from the water column, quickly pecking it with a sharp, tweezer-shaped beak.
Thanks to their long legs, stilts can feed in places inaccessible to other waders, so they have virtually no food competitors.
Activity
Stilts are diurnal and spend most of the day wading through shallow waters in search of food.
On soft coastal soil, the stilt leaves very distinctive tracks - one of the largest among waders. And his gait is also unusual - he does very big steps- up to 25 cm and when walking does not rest on the entire foot, but only on the toes.
Being closely associated with water, stilts can swim quite well (although adult birds rarely do this, while chicks swim willingly) and even dive.
Vocalization
The Stilt is a rather noisy bird, especially during the nesting period. Both parents actively “lead” away from the nest, accompanying this behavior with shrill screams. The alarm cry of the stilt is slightly reminiscent of the yelp of a dog.
Social behavior
Stilts are colonial birds; there may be several pairs in a colony, or there may be up to 100 or more. Solitary nesting is observed very rarely, but stilts often nest in common colonies with other species of waders and gulls. Neighbors live quite peacefully among themselves, but when enemies appear, all birds participate in protecting the colony. In stilts, this is expressed in alarming, piercing screams and flight over the colony.
Reproduction and parental behavior
Immediately after returning from wintering (in April-May), stilts break into pairs. Current flight is not very pronounced, while females are more active than males.
Like all waders, stilts nest on the ground, usually close to water. A nest is made of small twigs and dry grass, the tray is lined with softer material. Sometimes the nest is located, as it were, on a small foundation of small pebbles. If the water level rises, stilts complete the nest by placing grass stems and other building material underneath.
A full clutch of stilts contains 4 olive-green eggs with reddish-brown specks; egg length is about 44 mm. In the nest, the eggs always lie with the sharp end inward. The incubation period lasts 25–26 days. Both parents incubate alternately, often changing positions on the nest. When incubating, stilts are forced to fold their long legs in a special way. Like all waders, stilt chicks develop according to the brood type, i.e., having barely dried out after hatching, they leave the nest together with their parents. The brood is led and protected by both parents. When defending a nest or brood, adult birds behave very actively. They scream loudly, take off, and move away, pretending to be wounded. Chicks become independent at the age of 1 month.
In case of loss of the first clutch (rising water level, trampling by livestock, etc.), a second laying is possible. However, the overall level of reproductive success in stilts is quite low, no more than 15-45%, and sometimes lower.
Stilts become sexually mature at 2 years of age.
Lifespan
According to banding data, stilts in nature live up to about 12 years.
The story of life at the zoo
In our zoo, stilts live in the internal enclosures of the Bird House. As in nature, they live peacefully with other birds kept in the same enclosures. IN different years The number of stilts has changed, and now there are only 2. Stilts have nested successfully in the zoo several times.
The food of stilts in captivity consists of a combination of plant and animal feed in the amount of 216 g per day, with the share of plant feed being 38 g and the share of animal feed being 175 g.
A distinctive feature of the stilt bird is its long pink legs. It is by these that this species can be easily distinguished from any other bird. The stilt is a relative of the avocet.
Appearance
The body length is about 40 cm. Almost the entire body of the bird is covered with white plumage. The wings are long. There is a black spot on the head that looks like a cap. In males, this “cap” has a darker shade than in females. The wingspan is about 75 cm. In addition, females are smaller.
Externally, the bird is very reminiscent of representatives of the order Anodidae, in particular, the black and white stork. But the stilt is several times smaller in size. If you translate the name of this bird from Spanish, it will sound like “little stork.” The size is the same as that of the rock pigeon. The bird's legs are twice as long as its body. The long black beak reaches about 5 cm. Body weight can be about 175-200 g. The female has a duller color.
Habitat
As already mentioned, the presence of long legs is the main difference between the stilt. This length of legs helps the bird hiccup its food, since it spends most of its time in shallow water, where it looks out for prey.
This species lives on the Don, in Primorye, and Transbaikalia. They are also found on the African continent, Australia, some Asian countries, as well as on the island of Madagascar and New Zealand. The stilt lives on rivers and lakes. Long legs allow the bird to move further from the shore.
Lifestyle
This species is one of the most friendly and sociable, since during the nesting period they do not show much aggression, but can enter colonies of other birds.They live in colonies of about 20 to 100 birds each. They choose a quiet place, away from the coast with high tides. They can also settle on artificial reservoirs. Seeing a person even from afar, they try to hide from sight as quickly as possible. They mostly move in slow steps, but sometimes they can run. The legs allow you to walk comfortably in shallow water. But when walking on the ground, the bird has difficulties.
During the flight, it flaps its wings very often. The legs in this case serve as the steering wheel.
Individuals that live in temperate climates are migratory. They return to their usual nesting sites around April. Since they constantly walk along the shore, individuals leave characteristic traces by which one can understand the presence of the bird in this area. They leave big marks. The paws have three toes, about 6 cm in length. The method of transportation is unusual. The stilt takes a large step for its size - about 25 cm. The bird does not rest on its entire foot, but walks only on its toes, from which traces remain.
Their lifestyle is diurnal. They spend almost all their time on the shore or in the vicinity of a body of water. Stilt walkers not only walk along the shore, but are also excellent swimmers and divers.
Nutrition
Stilts have a rather peculiar way of feeding. They dive into the water with almost their entire body, leaving only their tail on the surface.
The bird uses its beak to look for food. They catch water bugs and bloodworms. In addition, they can feed on tadpoles, beetles, and vegetation. These birds could well find food on the surface of the earth, but their entire body is adapted specifically for hunting in shallow water. In addition, the presence of long legs makes hunting on land uncomfortable.
Long legs also allow the bird to reach prey from depths that are inaccessible to other birds. And the bird's beak is very similar to tweezers. It seems like it was created specifically to catch insects in the water.
Reproduction
The bird chooses a nesting site so that it can get enough food nearby for itself and its offspring. A colony consists of 100 or more pairs. The pair remains for several seasons, after which the bird can find a new partner.
Interestingly, it is the females who show courtship. They choose the male by showing them attention. They hatch the eggs together. When the female sits on the eggs, the male carefully brings food for her. And when the chicks are born, the male brings food to them too.
These birds are quite sociable, so they are rarely left alone. During the nesting period, they form colonies of 20-30 pairs.
Pairs practically do not nest alone. This phenomenon can be found extremely rarely. Sometimes they join colonies of birds of other species, nesting nearby.
The nest is a hole, which the birds line with branches, stems and grass. If the first clutch was damaged, the pair will lay another one. But despite this, this species has rather low reproductive success. It is 15-45%.
Pairs form in April-May. A clutch usually contains about 4 eggs measuring 3-4 cm. In the second half of May, the female stilt lays eggs. The incubation period can last about a month. Parents protect their defenseless chicks from threats. For the first few weeks, they actively feed the offspring so that the chicks grow and acquire feathers.
At about the age of one month, they begin to get used to independent living and try to fly. The chicks learn to get food for themselves. At a young age, the plumage is brown, which changes to white over time.
The chicks develop quickly. Their plumage is somewhat lighter than that of adults. Sexual maturity is reached at the age of two. In total, stilts live about 12 years.
These birds take very good care of their offspring, protecting them from threats. They may sometimes put themselves in danger to protect their chicks. If a predator or other threat approaches, the bird flies up and screams, trying to distract the enemy in this way.
As a result of human activity, as well as due to drying up of water bodies, the number of representatives of this species is declining. Birds have fewer and fewer places where they could look for food.For various reasons, a lot of stilt clutches die, which also affects the population size. Sometimes they become victims of hunters, but most often by accident. After all, few people would want to shoot at such interesting bird. Moreover, she has very little meat.
Important! Today this species is protected by law, hunting them is prohibited.
Humans bring indirect harm to this species by using the coastal territory for their activities and making it unsuitable for bird habitat. In tropical latitudes this species is safe. In Spain and Italy their number is increasing.
- Sometimes the avocet, which is an inhabitant of Southern Europe, is mistaken for the stilt. They are similar in appearance, but have a curved beak. Her legs are somewhat shorter and have a bluish tint. Her wings are black and white.
- Those individuals that live in countries with very hot climates must cool their eggs. Therefore, before sitting on the nest, the bird wets its plumage.
- When the stilt hatches eggs, its legs are bent and behind.
- Despite the long legs compared to the body, this bird ranks only second in this indicator. In first place is the flamingo.
Video: Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
Systematic position
Class: Birds - Aves.
Squad: Charadriiformes - Charadriiformes.
Family: Avocets - Recurvirostridae.
View: Stilt - Himantopus himantopus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Status.
3 "Rare" - 3, RD. in the category “3 - Rare” with the status of a rare, sporadically widespread species on the periphery of its range.Global Threat Category on the IUCN Red List
"Least Concern" - Least Concern, LC ver. 3.1 (2001).
Category according to IUCN Red List criteria
The regional population is classified as Near Threatened, NT. Yu. V. Lokhman.
Belonging to the objects of international agreements and conventions ratified by the Russian Federation
Do not belong.
Brief morphological description
The Stilt is a large, sandpiper smaller than a pigeon with long red legs. Body length 35–40 cm, weight up to 200 g, wingspan 67–85 cm. The wings and back are black, the rest of the plumage is white, including the tail and rump, protruding like a wedge into the dark plumage of the back.
The hind finger is missing, the beak is black. In young birds, the top of the head, neck, part of the back and shoulder feathers are brownish-gray. Unlike the avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), the beak is straight, the legs are long, the neck is shorter, and the hind finger is absent.
Spreading
Global range: southern Palaearctic and Nearctic regions, South America, Africa, South Asia and Australia. In the Russian Federation it nests along the southern outskirts of Russia: the Ciscaucasia, the Caspian region, the south of the Saratov and Orenburg regions, individual settlements in Tuva, Transbaikalia, and Primorye. The regional range includes the Eastern Azov region, the Northern Black Sea region, as well as the central part of the KK.
Features of biology and ecology
During the nesting period it prefers salty water bodies. Breeds in small colonies. In the central part of the region it lives in wastewater treatment plants of agricultural complexes, sugar factories. It begins to reproduce in the 2nd–3rd summer.
Nesting begins at the end of April - beginning of May, incubation lasts for 3 weeks. The nest can be of various shapes: from a depression in the ground to a massive structure. There are 3–4, usually 4 eggs in a clutch.
Number and its trends
Forms colonial settlements from 5 to 430 nests, in total there are about 40 colonies in the region. The total number is determined at 1200–1300 pairs. Trends in species abundance in the region are assessed as stable.
Limiting factors
Transformation of habitats, increasing recreational load, increasing disturbance factor. Sudden changes in water level in reservoirs. Destruction of nests by livestock.
Necessary and additional security measures
Organization of ornithological protected areas in the Primorsko-Akhtarsky district. Limiting possible disturbance factors. Regulation of livestock grazing. Monitoring the status of breeding populations.
Information sources. 1. Belik, 2001b; 2. Emtyl et al., 1992; 3. Emtyl et al., 2000; 4. Emtyl et al., 2003; 5. Ivanov, Stegman, 1978; 6. Koblik, 2001; 7. Lokhman, Emtyl, 2004b; 8. Siokhin et al., 1988; 9. IUCN, 2004; 10. Unpublished data from the compiler. Compiled by Yu. V. Lokhman.
Taxonomic affiliation: Class - Birds (Aves), series - Charadriiformes, family - Avocets (Recurvirostridae). The only species of the genus in Ukraine is represented by a nominative subspecies.
Conservation status of the species: Vulnerable.
Range of the species and its distribution in Ukraine: Covers the southern part of Europe, southern. Asia, Africa (South Sahara), Australia, South America, South. North America. In Ukraine, it nests near the Black and Azov Seas: along river deltas and estuaries. Mosaic settlements are found in Volyn, Kharkov, Donetsk, Lugansk regions, and the steppe part of Crimea.
Number and reasons for its change About 8.5-10 thousand individuals nest on the territory of Ukraine, and 3.5-3.6 thousand pairs nest on Sivash.
Reasons for the change in numbers: grazing of livestock and development of recreation in nesting areas, sharp fluctuations in water levels in reservoirs, increase in the number of enemies (rook, gray crow, fox, raccoon dog, stray dogs), degradation of feeding and nesting biotopes due to human activity, disturbance factor during nesting , creation of ponds in place of food biotopes, chemical pollution environment.
Features of biology and scientific significance: Migrant. Spring migration in April-May. Inhabits sea coasts, coastal islands, half-submerged islands, river valleys, hummocky swamps, shallow fresh and brackish lakes, settling ponds, and fish farms. It nests at the water's edge or at a distance of up to 100 m deep into the reservoir, in separate pairs and colonies, sometimes together with terns. There are 4 eggs in a full clutch. The male and female incubate (22-24 days). The chicks begin to fly on their wings at 30-35 days. Autumn migration from late July to late August. It feeds mainly on insects and their larvae.
Morphological characteristics: Body length - 35-40 cm, wingspan - 67-83 cm, weight - 150-190 g. In summer, the top of the head and the back of the neck are black or white in an adult, the back and wings are black with a tint, the rest of the plumage is white, the beak is black, legs red, in winter the crown and back of the neck are gray. In the young, the dark parts of the plumage are brownish-gray, the feathers have a light border, and the tips of the secondaries are white.
Population conservation regime and protection measures: It is protected by the Bonn (Appendix II) and (Appendix II) conventions, the AEWA agreement, and is listed in the Red Book (1994). Protected in the Danube Nature Reserve, Crimean Nature Reserve (Swan Islands), Sivashsky NNP, Tiligulsky RLP in some reserves. Nesting settlements near the Sasyk reservoir, Lebedinskaya Spit and in certain places of Crimea should be taken under protection; grazing of livestock should be limited in the Meotida RLP and the appearance of people in nesting areas should be prohibited. It is necessary to create seasonal ornithological reserves during the nesting period and conduct extensive educational events.
Reproduction and breeding in specially created conditions: No information.
Economic and commercial significance: No information.
The stilt has such unusual long pink legs that the bird is recognized not only by specialists, but also by simply bird lovers.
The body of the stilt, 35-40 cm long, is covered with white feathers, the wings are painted black and their ends protrude far beyond the tail line. A black cap adorns the bird’s head, but it looks different in males and females; in females, the color of the feathers on the head looks lighter. The bird's wingspan is 71-75 cm. Females are smaller than males.
Of all the waders, the stilt has the longest legs, and this is no coincidence; the bird has to wander through shallow water, looking for food with the help of a thin black beak.
This species of waders is common in the Caspian region, Transbaikalia, Primorye and the Don. The bird can be seen slowly wandering through the shallow waters of brackish lakes and estuaries. The long legs of the stilt are an important adaptation that allows them to move quite a long distance from the shore in search of food.
The stilt feeds in a rather peculiar way. In search of food, the bird lowers its head and neck so deep into the water that only its shoulders and tail remain visible on the surface. With its long beak it looks for caddisfly larvae, small mollusks, water bugs, bloodworms, and amphipods. It does not collect insects on land, because all adaptations in search of food are related to the aquatic habitat.
On the sand of the coastal zone of the reservoir, the stilt leaves peculiar traces by which its presence can be easily detected. Firstly, they are quite large, and secondly, the bird’s paws are three-toed, more than 6 cm in size, the fingers are thin and long, and between the 3rd and 4th fingers there is a short membrane.
The bird walks interestingly, takes long steps, about 25 cm, and rests not on the entire foot, but on the toes, and leaves simply prints in the sand of the toes, as if unrelated to each other. Also, when traveling along the coast, the stilt loses its narrow and long flight feathers, by which it is easily identified as a species.
During nesting, birds form small colonies; nests are located near the water on sand spits, sometimes very close to other birds. The sandpiper drags the remains of plants, branches, stems into a small hole and lays 3-4 eggs measuring 30 - 40 mm. Puff feathers appear in June; young birds retain their dirty-brown plumage until their autumn departure, but grow quickly, reaching a weight of 180 to 220 g.
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