Stilts and Avocets
Stilts and Avocets
Recurvirostridae
The Elegant Waders: Stilts and Avocets (Recurvirostridae) are slender, long-legged wading birds found in wetlands, estuaries, and shallow coastal waters worldwide. Known for their striking black-and-white plumage and graceful movements, these birds are perfectly adapted for foraging in mudflats and lagoons. Stilts, such as the Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus), have extremely long, thin legs—among the longest in proportion to body size of any bird. This allows them to wade deeper into the water while searching for small invertebrates. Their straight, needle-like bills help them pick prey from the water’s surface or just below it. Avocets, like the Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), are known for their distinctive upturned bills, which they use to sweep side to side through shallow water to catch small aquatic creatures. This unique feeding behavior sets them apart from other wading birds. Both stilts and avocets are highly social, often forming flocks, especially outside the breeding season. They nest in colonies on open ground near water, and their bold, noisy nature makes them fierce defenders of their nests. Although some species face habitat loss due to wetland drainage, conservation efforts have helped protect important breeding sites. Their elegance and specialized feeding techniques make stilts and avocets some of the most captivating shorebirds to observe.