From Opus

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Photo by Neil Fifer
Location: Sydney, Australia

Alternative name: Australian Stilt; Pied Stilt

Himantopus leucocephalus

[edit] Identification

36cm. Green black back of the neck, middle portion of back, scapulars and wings, underwings sooty black, rest of body pure white, smoky grey tail-feathers, red eyes, bill black, sometimes horn-coloured at the tip; legs and feet deep pink flesh-colour.

[edit] Distribution

Breeds from Indonesia to Australia and New Zealand; winters to Philippines.

[edit] Taxonomy

Photo by fthsm
Sydney, Mason Park, Australia

A monotypic species.

[edit] Nomenclature

A lot of the confusion over which name to use for this species comes from the disagreement over how many species of Stilts are found in the world. Opus inherited from Sibley and Monroe the view that six species exist, a view that is shared with Clements, while Howard and More only seems to recognize one species: Black-winged Stilt = Himantopus himantopus. The confusion does not get less from the fact that Black-winged Stilt = Himantopus himantopus is still in use, now meaning the stilt in Africa, Europe, and Asia.

Often called Black-winged Stilt (which is the name for Himantopus himantopus) in Australia causing some confusion. Has also sometimes been called Australian Stilt or Pied Stilt (another name more often used for Himantopus himantopus).

[edit] Habitat

Lake margins, wet pasture, and riverbeds. Flocks at lakes and estuaries when not breeding.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] External Links