Texan Stilts

Himantopus mexicanus

The Black-Necked Stilt is a rather tall shorebird, with leg length proportional to their body, second only to flamingos. These birds range from Argentina nearly to the Canadian border in western USA. They can be found in open marshes, mudflats, and along fresh or saltwater shorelines and adjacent shallows, where insects, crustaceans, mollusks, and any small creature is fair game.

In Southern California Black-Necked Stilts are often found nesting near the tern colonies with American Avocets. When disturbed, these birds can be quite vocal and they can be persistent in their attempts to drive away perceived threats, even mobbing predators.

This gallery displays only the birds I met in Texas. To see images I collected elsewhere, including nesting birds and their young, visit the <Species Gallery>.