IDENTIFICATION
TIPS
-
Black long slender bill
White spot above eye in
dark cap.
Black colouring on
cap, hind neck, nape, back, under wings and upper wings
-
White colouring on
forehead, lores (area between eye and bill), chin, throat, breast and
belly
-
Pink long legs, crimson
eyes and half webbed feet half web feet.
Observed Behaviour: These birds were noisy and quite
conspicuous on numerous ponds in Anguilla. They were
particularly defensive in the nesting season. Their defensive
behaviour usually started with a loud sharp alarm from one that
developed into a chorus from a dozen or more. They sometimes
flew low over head or even performed a dive-bomb like maneuver
directly at me veering away just before impact. On the ground
they extended their wings and
shrieked as they made small movements towards me when I
approached their nests.
Chicks behaviour: The chicks blended well into their background and were difficult to see.
They gently took steps at the edge of the water and upon hearing
the chorus cries of the adults they
laid flat to the surface of the water where they were.
THE NEST:
The nests are usually seen as a shallow depression lined with grass or
shell fragments. In other cases I've seen nests lined with pods usually
used to lure doves into traps (Now probably illegal practice, since the
dove is our national bird). The eggs are white with black spots
and both parents incubate them for about 20-25 days. They are
highly protective of their nests and young.
|
 |
Adult Male: The male black-necked stilt is seen in
the
photograph behind the female.
Adult female: The
female is very similar in appearance to the male except that its back has a
more
brown-black hue.
Defending the Young:
These male and female black-necked
stilts(2nd
photo from the top) were
carefully guarding
two young chicks stumbling nearby. Was it not for their
defensive behaviour, the well camouflaged chicks would have been
easily missed.
|
