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Black-winged Stilt feeding on molluscs and fish

on 24th July 2015

The local information on the prey of the Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) is limited.

On 2nd March 2013, Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS noticed a family unit of three taking many snails in a short period of observation at the Malim Nawar Wetlands in Perak, Malaysia (above, below). This is an extensive ex-tin mining area covered with pond, lakes, wetlands and fish farming units. The snails are foraged in ‘knee deep’ water and swallowed whole.

On 28th February 2014 Amar saw two Black-winged Stilt catching fish in the shallow part of a lake. As usual, the bird would ‘wash’ the fish before feeding. One bird literally ‘chased’ the prey before getting it. Below shows the composite image of the stilt feeding the fish. An earlier post on the stilt taking a fish can be viewed HERE.

Literature on the diet of the Black-winged Stilt, posted earlier is given below:

1. Dostin, Mort. Food of the Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus in the Alligator Rivers Region, Northern Territory. Emu 89,250-253, 1989. This article from Australia presents data and summarises literature. I however do not like their methods. They shot 21 birds to obtain their data! They found remains of fish in 6 birds.
2. Pierce, R.J. (1985). Feeding methods of stilts (Himantopus spp.) N Z . J. ZooL 12,467-472 and Pierce, R.J. (1986). Foraging responses of stilts (Himantopus spp.: Aves) to changes in behaviour and abundance of their riverbed prey. N.Z 1 Mar. Freshw. Res 20, 17-28. Pierce from New Zealand has reported small fish as prey.
3. Hamilton, R.B. (1975). Comparative behaviour of the American Avocet and the Black-necked Stilt (Recurvirostridae). OrnithoL Monogr. 17, 1-98. Hamilton from North America has also reported fish as part of the diet.

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

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