Pied Stilt

Himantopus leucocephalus Gould, 1837

≈36 cmLength177 gWeight

Its black-and-white body is supported by two long, slender pink legs.

Busiest months: January and October–November · Most records: Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia

How to identify

Field marks

Legs long, slender and pink
Back of head, nape and back greenish-black
Bill long, slender and black
Eyes and eyelids red

Voice

Gives repeated shrieks in flight.

Where and when it's recorded

Pied Stilt has been recorded at 339 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 11 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Western Treatment PlantAustralia8,492 records
Oxley Creek CommonAustralia3,426 records
Bowra Wildlife SanctuaryAustralia3,184 records

More places

Alice Springs Sewage PondsAustralia2,405 records
Western Treatment Plant – T Section PondsAustralia2,328 records
Kedron Brook Wetlands ReserveAustralia2,184 records
Broome South Wastewater Treatment PlantAustralia2,043 records
Landing Lights WetlandAustralia1,751 records
Jawbone Flora and Fauna ReserveAustralia1,746 records
Townsville Town Common Conservation ParkAustralia1,745 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Australia New Zealand Indonesia Timor-Leste Philippines Cocos (Keeling) Islands Singapore Malaysia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The pied stilt (Himantopus leucocephalus), also known as the white-headed stilt, is a shorebird in the family Recurvirostridae. It is widely distributed with a large total population size and apparently stable population trend, occurring in Malaysia, Japan, the Philippines, Brunei, Christmas Island, Indonesia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Australia, and New Zealand. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Pied Stilt?

The Pied Stilt is about ≈36 cm long and weighs around 177 g.

Where does the Pied Stilt live?

Its breeding range: Oriental, Australasia: local central, southern Philippines, Indonesian Archipelago, New Guinea region, Australia, New Zealand, northeastern New Britain (southeastern Bismarck Archipelago). It is most often recorded in Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia.

When is the best time to see the Pied Stilt?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January, October and November (Southern Hemisphere).

What does the Pied Stilt eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Pied Stilt in?

It belongs to the family Stilts, Avocets (Recurvirostridae), order Charadriiformes.

At a glance

Length: ≈36 cm
Weight: 177 g
Habitat: Wetland
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: Active on the ground
Migration: Partial migrant

More measurements

Wing: 222 mm
Tail: 70 mm
Bill: 65 mm
Tarsus: 116 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Oriental, Australasia: local central, southern Philippines, Indonesian Archipelago, New Guinea region, Australia, New Zealand, northeastern New Britain (southeastern Bismarck Archipelago)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2