North American field guide

Black-necked Stilt

Himantopus mexicanus

Explore this bird

Identification

36 cm (14") Common. Locally abundant. Fresh and salt marshes, lakes, ponds, mudflats, ditches. Extremely long legged crow-sized shorebird.

Male: pitch black upperparts contrast sharply with white underparts; long stilt-like pink-red legs; long needlelike black bill.

Female: similar but has dark brown instead of black which fades by end of summer.

In flight, all uniform black wings contrast with white rump.

Song: loud "kek kek kek".

Details in the field

4 photos

Credit: Don Loarie

Credit: Lip Kee Yap

Credit: Ken Slade

Credit: Don DeBold

Watch and learn

1 video

Black-necked Stilt

Credit: Don DesJardin

Where it lives

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

2 rules

Rule 1 12 criteria confidence 6

In FLIGHT did the bird display a LIGHT WING STRIPE or PATCH ?: No · Unknown
What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Pigeon-sized · Crow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sandpiper-like · Long-legged wader
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States · Southwestern United States

result:593-black-necked-stilt:1:1 Source: 593 Black-necked Stilt, row 1

Rule 2 12 criteria confidence 2

In FLIGHT did the bird display a LIGHT WING STRIPE or PATCH ?: No · Unknown
What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Pigeon-sized · Crow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sandpiper-like · Long-legged wader
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:593-black-necked-stilt:2:1 Source: 593 Black-necked Stilt, row 2