Scientific Name: Himantopus himantopus
Malay Name: Kedidi Kaki-Panjang Biasa
Chinese Name: 黑翅长脚鹬
Range: Found from Africa to southern Europe, Central Asia, Middle East, Indian subcontinent, north-western China and Indochina with some northern populations wintering south to northern Africa, Arabian Peninsula, southern China, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Borneo and the Philippines.
Taxonomy: Monotypic.
Size: 37.5 cm
Identification: Male in non-breeding plumage has distinctive medium-long needle-like blackish bill, very long pinkish-red legs, mostly white head, neck and underparts with grey cap and hind neck and black ear-coverts, upper mantle and wings while non-breeding female is browner above. Breeding male has typically all white head and neck while breeding female is browner above and may show some grey on hindneck and head. Juveniles has brownish-grey crown/hindneck and greyish brown mantle with buffy fringes.
Similar looking species: Pied Stilt
Habitat: Borders of open wetlands, coastal pools, mudflats and marshy grasslands.
Behaviour/Ecology: Feeds primarily on aquatic prey especially beetles, mayflies and spiders, although mollusks, crustaceans, earthworms and small fish, as well as water plants and their seeds.
Local Status: Rare migrant and very rare resident
Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2019)
Featured reports: Apr 2022, May 2022, Jun 2022, Aug 2022, Oct 2022, Jan 2023, Feb 2023
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Black-winged Stilt)
References:
BirdLife International. (2019). Himantopus himantopus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22727969A155440465.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023
Lim, K. S. (2009). The Avifauna of Singapore. Nature Society (Singapore).
Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.
RECOMMENDED CITATION
Singapore Birds Project. (n.d.). Black-winged Stilt. Retrieved on May 29, 2023 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/black-winged-stilt.