‘ON STILTS’: ELEGANCE ON TWO LEGS (OR JUST ONE)
There’s something wrong in the picture above. Count up how many pink legs you can see. It’s three between the two birds. I assumed of course that ‘Oner’ had a perfectly good serviceable leg tucked up into its undercarriage. I admired the balancing skills involved in resting one leg while nonchalantly standing on the other.
We were watching this pair of black-necked stilts Himantopus mexicanus at the pond at Gilpin Point, which at certain times can be ‘Stilt Central’. These birds are permanent breeders on Abaco and are without a doubt the most beautiful of all the waders.
After 10 minutes observing this pair, there was no question about it – the right leg was completely and utterly missing. This had no obvious ill-effects on the bird – it was still able to throw a good pose (above) and to preen (below). And the other bird carried on as normal.
BNSs are territorial and in particular can become ‘proactive’ (ie aggressive) in protecting the area near a nest. I once mistakenly got close to a nest, not even knowing it was there. I soon learnt – a parent BNS came wading towards me, zigzagging in the water, shouting and carrying on in a way that immediately said ‘my nest is nearby’. And when I meanly stood my ground it suddenly took off and flew straight at my head…
A shouty stilt
BLACK-NECKED STILT ALARM CALL
Jim Holmes / Xeno Canto
All photos: Keith Salvesen / Rolling Harbour Abaco; Audio file Jim Holmes / Xeno Canto
THE BIRDS OF ABACO 