Order: Charadriiformes - Family Recurvirostridae Habitat: Marshes and ponds

All records since January 2014

Sounds
© José L. Merlo	© José L. Merlo

Adult
© Roberto Ares Very slender. Black upperparts. White forehead, crown and underparts © Roberto Ares Long and straight bill (2" 1/4). Very long rosy legs © Sergio Cusano © J. Simón Tagtachian
4-2006 © Roberto Ares 4-2006 © Roberto Ares

Breeding
Nest
© Roberto Ares Plataform of grass stems

Courtship and mating

© RAP See courtship and mating

© Roberto Ares This video was filmed on November 15th 2009. These four segments were extracted from a 25-minute video. We were at the Lizard Path and the Stilt family was very far in the Duck Pond. An unusual environment which was recovering after the 2008 drought. This climatic event which covered most of the country left the ponds dry. Little rainfall favoured the growth of vegetation in the pond beds. By late 2009 and during 2010 the amount of rainfall increased so that ponds were inundated again. The rather heterogeneous vegetation became sparse forming clear areas. As rainfall decreases again there is a new transformation of the landscape - the present cattail community. At first we spotted two Black-necked Stilts. One of them was half crouched, which called our eye. Looking attentively we discovered two chicks which perfectly camouflaged in the vegetation. The half crouching adult was covering up two other chicks. As their legs are long they stand on their ankles so that little stilts can be embraced. A full screen view shows four legs hanging and barely touching the ground. In the last segment one of the chicks goes inside and another one leaves. (8-2015 - CR)

Chick and immature

© Hugo Hulsberg © Jorge García Vicente

© Pablo Mosto Corona y espalda negro parduzcas

More photographic records since January 2013