Photo: Didier Descouens / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-winged Stilt
Himantopus himantopus
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) is a member of the Recurvirostridae family found in Africa, Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 177 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Recurvirostridae Stilts, Avocets
- Genus Himantopus
- Species himantopus
Where it lives
Coastal and inland south to east-central Europe, Sal (northeastern Cape Verde Is., southern Macaronesia, west of northwestern Africa); northern and Sub-Saharan Africa, Socotra, and coastal Madagascar; through southwestern Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia to southeastern Russia, northeastern, eastern China, locally Honshu and Shikoku (south-central Japan), Taiwan, Semirara (east-central Philippines), south to northern Middle East, Indian subcontinent to Sri Lanka, Malay Pen., Vietnam, northern Sumatra and western Java
Quick facts
- Weight
- 177 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Recurvirostridae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-winged Stilt hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Black-winged Stilt is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) is a species of stilts, avocets in the family Recurvirostridae, order Charadriiformes. It is found in Europe & Northern Asia, Africa, South & Southeast Asia — coastal and inland s to ec Europe, Sal (ne Cape Verde Is., s Macaronesia, w of nw Africa); n and Sub-Saharan Africa, Socotra, and coastal Madagascar; through sw Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia to se Russia, ne, e China, locally Honshu and Shikoku (sc Japan), Taiwan, Semirara (ec Philippines), s to n Middle East, Indian subcontinent to Sri Lanka, Malay Pen., Vietnam, n Sumatra and w Java.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-winged Stilt?
The Black-winged Stilt is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 177 g.
Where does the Black-winged Stilt live?
The Black-winged Stilt is found across Africa, Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering PAL, AF, OR coastal and inland s to ec Europe, Sal (ne Cape Verde Is., s Macaronesia, w of nw Africa); n and Sub-Saharan Africa, Socotra, and coastal Madagascar; through sw Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia to se Russia, ne, e China, locally Honshu and Shikoku (sc Japan), Taiwan, Semirara (ec Philippines), s to n Middle East, Indian subcontinent to Sri Lanka, Malay Pen., Vietnam, n Sumatra and w Java, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Black-winged Stilt belong to?
The Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) belongs to the Recurvirostridae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Black-winged Stilt eat?
The Black-winged Stilt hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Black-winged Stilt migrate?
The Black-winged Stilt is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Black-winged Stilt endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Black-winged Stilt make?
1 real field recording of the Black-winged Stilt — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-winged Stilt's range?
The Black-winged Stilt has a mapped global range of about 56.9 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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